Malaria Philatelists International (MPI)

In 1962, Mongolia overprinted 8 stamps previously issued stamps (Scott 195-202 issued in 1960, (Larkspur, Tulips, Jacob's Ladder, Globeflowers, Bellflowers, Parnassia, Geranium, Begonia)). Why these stamps were overprinted is unknown to me. The overprint is one of the suggested designs by the WHO except the words under the design are "Lutte Contre Le Paludisme" (French for "Fight Against Malaria"). The overprint is supposed to be black. The newly overprinted stamps have Scott numbers 296-303.

Early in 2007, I purchased a set of Scott 296-303 with the overprint in purple. After the items arrived, I looked at them closely and the purple overprints did not seem as clear as the black overprints. And there is a "fifth leg" protruding from the tail. So I scanned the stamps at 600 DPI to do a better comparison. The purple overprints seem crude at best. Anyone have any opinions whether these are fakes or they are ...? Please let me know what you think at malariastamps@yahoo.com.

Below are 600 DPI images of the black and the purple overprints in a side by side comparison from Scott 302. Below that is all 8 stamps in the set at 300 DPI for a side by side comparisons.

Example Black Overprint

Example Purple Overprint

Scott 296 - Black Overprint	Scott 296 - Purple Overprint
Scott 297 - Black Overprint	Scott 297 - Purple Overprint
Scott 298 - Black Overprint	Scott 298 - Purple Overprint
Scott 299 - Black Overprint	Scott 299 - Purple Overprint
Scott 300 - Black Overprint	Scott 300 - Purple Overprint
Scott 301 - Black Overprint	Scott 301 - Purple Overprint
Scott 302 - Black Overprint	Scott 302 - Purple Overprint
Scott 303 - Black Overprint	Scott 303 - Purple Overprint