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Consultation

Expertizing

Iran is among the very first countries that issued postage stamps. Iranian stamps immediately gained popularity among the collectors including many famous personalities such as Count Ferrari and Thomas Keay Tapling to name a few.

Due to the increasing demands by the collectors all over the world, the counterfeiters created a vast number forgeries including stamps as well as covers and postal documents.

To help weeding out these forgeries or reprints, our expertizing and certification services will help you to avoid buying dangerous fakes and forgeries and it will also help you to get the top price when you decide to sell.

Many collectors prefer to buy the Iranian stamps, covers, and documents when they are accompanied by Mehrdad Sadri signature and certificate.

Major auction houses and dealers such as David Feldman S.A., Harmers, Cherry Stone, and Spink have trusted and valued the opinion and certificates issued by Mehrdad Sadri / Persiphila, as well as many collectors all across the world. Please contact us if you may have any question.

All items are examined and certified by Mehrdad Sadri, the author of the Lions of Iran, the authoritative works on the classic Lion issues of Iran and Persiphila Standard Philatelic Catalogue (2002), the first specialized catalogue of Iran (Qajar Dynasty) as well as newly released edition of Persiphila Classic Philatelic Reference (2007) and other publications, with the list can be found in the section of Books & catalogues.

Mehrdad Sadri has been active and an avid collector of the Iranian stamps and postal history since 1960. He has also conducted number of seminars and lectures on the subject of the Iranian philately and particularly regarding the forgeries and how to distinguish them from the originals.

To view Mehrdad Sadri samples of handstamps or initials you may visit the website of thePhilatelic Experts.

Photo Certificates

For your convenience & budget, we offer three types of photo certificates:

Full Certificates

Card Certificates

Single Stamp Identification

Full Certificate: Stamps, sets, and covers or documents, which required detailed information are necessary to have full certification. (Click here to see details).

Card-Certificate: Stamps including large format stamps or blocks of four may be issued a Card-Certificate (5.5" by 4.25") with full details of such items. This is only for stamps at an economical fee much less than full certificates. (Click here to see details).

Handstamped or Initialed only: This service is for those who just do not want any of the above certificates.

How To Ship Your Items

Before shipping your items to us, please notify us by email or just contact us via our website.

Prior to shipping, place your stamps on stock cards or stock pages and make sure to scan or photocopy each card or page for your record.

Please protect your items in the package with cardboards on both sides of your stock cards or pages and it would be better to place the whole group in a plastic bag and then place it in an envelope for shipping.

The plastic bag will protect your valuable items from accidental water damage during shipping.

Ship your material to our mailing address given below by registered or signature confirmation mail.

Persiphila
PO Box 1589
Glendora, CA 91740-1589
USA

Fees Schedule Effective May 1st, 2024

IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

  • Items with certificate will be backstamped or initialed upon request only!

  • There is a $1.00 per stamp inspection fee for stamps not signed or certified!

Full Certificate: (Click here for details)

Single Stamp / Unused Postal Stationery: 3% of Valuation - Min. $50. / Max. $1,750.
Complete set of 2 to 5 stamps 3% of valuation - Min. $75. / Max. $1,750.
Complete set of 6 to 10 stamps 3% of Valuation - Min. $120. / Max. $1,750.
Complete set of 11 stamps and more 3% of valuation - Min. $175. / Max. $1,750.
Postally used Cover / Document / Stationary 3% of Valuation - Min. $90. / Max. $1,750

Card-Certificate for single stamps: (Click here for details)

Card certificates for Single stamps only $27.50

Single Stamp Identification (Click here for details)

For stamps valued under $50., backstamped or initialed (upon request) and accompanied with Persiphila & Scott Catalogues numbers and marked as Mint or Used.) $15.00

Handstamped / Initialed only

Single stamps or postal stationeries (valued $50. & under only) $10.00
Complete set of 2 to 5 stamps $45.00
Complete set of 6 to 10 stamps $75.00
Complete set of 11 stamps and more $100.00
Covers, used postal stationeries, or large pieces $35.00

Please Note: No stamp with catalogue value less then $10.00 will be handstamped.

Examination Fees

Please Note: Stamps of Ahmad Shah Qajar Small Portrait Issue of 1911-13 (without any overprint) & Ahmad Shah Coronation Issue of 1915 (without any overprint) are subject to $1.00 Fee Per Stamp if Proven to be Reprints.

BUSHIRE Under British Occupation overprinted stamps are subject to $10. examination fee for each if proven to be forgery.

Stamp Identification

Do you have any question about a stamp?

We will be happy to help.

This is a service that is also offered by the American Philatelic Society
(Please click here to see)

Our service is much more affordable at $0.50 per stamp
compare to $10.00 per stamp charged by APS.

For further information about the American Philatelic Society Expertizing Service (APEX)
please click here!

All you have to do is to send the scan of your stamps (300dpi) and make the payment via PayPal.

You are welcome to benefit our services once for FREE.


 

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