A World of Philatelic Fakes and Forgeries
At its 2024 Congress in Copenhagen last October, the International Association of Philatelic Experts (AIEP) celebrated its 70th anniversary by presenting Thomas Mathà’s 2024 Platinum Jubilee Book, titled A World of Philatelic Fakes and Forgeries.
The bulk of the 136-page book is devoted to the Rome Collection of Philatelic Fakes and Forgeries, which was donated long ago to the Stamp Collectors’ Association A. Diena. The collection consists of five small brown ring binders organised by countries and continents, with items likely originating between 1930 and 1960. The 2,063 philatelic items listed represent 173 countries or territories.
The book also features a brief survey on fakes and forgeries in philately, a report on the AIEP’s 70th anniversary, a description of the AIEP quality label, a list of current members along with their areas of specialisation, and the AIEP statutes.
