TNAG-0718-FCO40-916-Policy-on-issuing-postage-stamps-1978 — Page 58

IV

EMPLOYMENT OF AGENTS

IN CONFIDENCE

14.

Countries which do not have the resources necessary to arrange and supervise the design and production of postage stamps, and their sale in overseas philatelic markets, usually find it advisable to appoint agents. Many of the firms who offer their services for this purpose are also in business as stamp dealers, and postal adminis- trations should be aware that this can lead to a conflict of interests since dealers may seek to pursue policies that bring them commercial benefit as dealers. With reputable firms, this need not invariably be incompatible with the best interests of the issuing countries.

15. The following are some examples of the methods which some agents have been know to use or advocate and which, though they may initially boost revenue, can do long term harm to a country's philatelic reputation:

(a) Unjustified increases in the frequency of issue and face

value of commemorative stamps;

(b) The addition of new denominations to commemoratives which

have already been on sale for some time so that purchasers of the original issue have to buy the additions to complete their sets;

(c)

The indiscriminate issue of souvenir or miniature sheets; (d) Making the purchase of popular stamp issues conditional

upon the buying of given quantities of less popular stamps; (e) Using designs aimed at attracting thematic collectors without regard to the relevance of the designs to the country of issue;

(f) Sales of stamps to dealers at well below face value; (g) The date stamping of mint stamps and selling them at a

fraction of the face value;

(h) The introduction of bogus errors to create rarity value,

thereby bringing money to the dealer but not to the country concerned.

IN CONFIDENCE

/16.