Fake First Day Collectables

Two FDCs of the 1983 "4th Anniversary of Liberation" set.

The first one is a fake, the latter one is an authentic FDC, and it is an official one.

The tricky thing about the fake one is that, it looks like a private FDC. Inexperienced collectors may be fooled if they have no knowledge on postmark types. The French "CAMBODGE" type did not exist until mid 1990s, it is impossible to be on a 1983 cover.

This is the postmark type used by the Phnom Penh Central Post Office throughout 1980s, the country name was "KAMPUCHEA" then:

Private FDCs of 1980s would only bear such cancellation type or the pre-1975 "Phnom Penh RP" with no country name type.

Unsophisticatedly fake creators has been making a handsome variety of fake first day collectables cancelled with the "Cambodge RP2" postmark which has been exclusively available at the philatelic counter. The counter staffs are more than happy to back-date the postmark upon request with a little bribe.

Don't take it for granted that only valuable and rare stuffs have counterfeits. The less popular and less explored post1979 Cambodia have fakes too.