Expertising stamps and other philatelic items

Abstract

The F.I.P. "Fakes and Forgeries" Commission met in Madrid last year to elect its Bureau Members and to establish the key criteria required in expertising a stamp or a philatelic item. The Malta Philatelic Society was represented at the Congress by Anthony Fenech, a Member on this Commission. Mr. Paolo Vollmeier, the outgoing President, pointed out bat the rules for expertising varied considerably between National Federations. He stated that many certificates are little more than Auction descriptions. Mr. Vollmeier recommended that strong efforts should be made to standardise the criteria and descriptions to be used on certificates on a world-wide basis. [excerpt]