Design errors

Various crazy errors

Move the cursor over the small pictures for an enlarged view

Strange two 5-faces dice. Stay away from the MACAU casinos as they use strange dice with two 5-faces. (MACAO - )


Wrong shadow The fisherman has his arms close to his body, but his shadow is quite different (NYASALAND - 1945)


Wrong shadow The shadow of the tree points right .... in the direction of the sun ! (CAMEROON - 1973)


Locked cog wheels. This stamp was issued to illustrate progress in the industry of Korea. But in this position, the cog wheels are locking each other and will not move (NORTH KOREA - 1969)


According to the big hand on this clock, it is not yet 12 o'clock, but the little one tells us it is already past twelve. (FRANCE - 1999)


Broken tradition It is a tradition that no other people are featured on British stamps together with members of the Royal Family. Is this the reason why they put the local commoner, Mr. Harold Blumenthal behind bars ? (GRENADA GRENADINES - 1991)


Softer message At the time this stamp was issued, tuberculosis was still an incurable disease. To some people the message Help stamp out sounded a little bit too hard, so the stamp was reissued with a softer cry : Help promote health. (NEW ZEALAND - 1929)


Strong milk This is strong baby milk, as the milk level in the bottle follows the inclined bottle. (POLAND - 1961)


Worthless bow Although the cord is tensed, the bow is not bowed, and so the arrow will never leave the bow. (CAMEROON - 1946)


Strange wind. According to the flag, it is windy at the top. Nevertheless the flame of the torch is not disturbed. (TANGANYKA - )


Changed design The design of this stamp was based on a painting by Benjamin West. However 3 people were removed and one added. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1983)


Strange Queen What is the Queen doing on the sheet featuring FAMOUS MEN ? (AJMAN - )


Stearless horse No trace of a bridle. How can the farmer stear his horse ? (BAVARIA - 1920)


Missing shadow. The shadow of the table is missing (BELGIAN CONGO - 1930)


Different tails. How many tails has the Belgian lion ? One or two ? (BELGIUM - 1912)


Missing shadow. As there is a strong shadow under the scientist, there is no reason why this shadow is missing around the penguins. (BELGIUM - 1971)


Wrong side ! The Niagara falls, on a Canadian stamp, shows … the American side of the falls ! (CANADA - 1935)


Missing Fathers On the stamp issued in 1917, 12 Fathers of the Confederation were omitted. When the stamp was reissued 10 years later, the missing Fathers were added ! (CANADA - 1917)


Falling tree A drama in the woods : the falling tree will probably hit the unknowingly forester, and his friend does not seem to care about it. (CANADA - )


Tired farmer. The farmer will be tired at the end of the day as he steps on the weak ploughed soil, instead of the horses. (CANADA - 1946)


Wrong clock. Clock on the Parliament tower of Ottawa : IV on the stamp is in fact IIII, VIII only shows VII, and on the real clock the numbers point to the centre. (CANADA - 1965)


Dangerous situation As one of the ropes is not fixed correctly, this box will soon fall. (CANADA - 1963)


Rubber tree Rubber trees do not have apparent roots. And the rubber starts leaking immediately after the tree is cut. A first stamp was soon corrected. (CEYLON - 1935)


Ambigious inscription The inscription IMPERIAL CHINESE POST was a little bit ambigious, and was later corrected in CHINESE IMPERIAL POST. (CHINA - 1896)


Leaking chimney On one of the stamp the chimney is considerably longer … with the smoke merging from the middle. (CHINA - 1949)


Raising building The same party building of Nanchang with 3 or 4 floors, on 2 stamps issued within 12 months. (CHINA - 1961)


Wrong clock. The hour hand is alwys in the inner position of a clock, the minute hand should thus have been pictured on top. (CHINA - 1982)


Impossible age Gerontolists generally agree that there have never been authenticated cases of human beings reaching such advanced ages. (COLOMBIA - 1956)


Wrong perspective The platform width is 12 mm in the front, and 12,5 mm in the rear, which is of course against the perspective rules. (CHINA - 1986)


Setting sun. When someone pointed out that the first official issue of the new-born state did not show a rising sun, but a setting sun over the eastern front of the castle, the design was revised, and the sun carefully removed ! (CZECHOSLOVAKIA - 1918)


Flying bench ? The left leg of this bench is missing (DENMARK - 1985)


Strange pencil. Sharpen that good old pencil you still have somewhere in your house, and look at the result. Surely not as wrongly shown on the Danish postmark, but close to the correct Dutch stamp. (DENMARK - 1984)


Taking risks ! During war, the blackout strictly prohibited illuminated windows, and the resistance would never have deployed activites in their neighbourhood. (GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC - 1944)


Wrong direction Lady in fluttering garments which indicate that she is sowing againts te wind. (FRANCE - 1903)


Wrong representation The Pont du GARD has 4 little arches between two pillars, not 3 as designed on the stamp. (FRANCE - 1929)


Quite dangerous ! Three men and a boy making an horse-shoe, with hammers wielded in a dangerous and impossible way. (GERMANY - 1922)


Free horses. The horses are not attached to the plough, and the naked farmer has no way top steer them. (GERMANY - 1921)


Rising sun. The designer wanted a rising sun, as symbol for the nazi-regime. But he put it in the west, prefiguring perhaps the fall of that regime. (GERMANY - 1943)


Wrong area. The miracle of Good King Wenceslas : the old man is gathering wood in a threeless area. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1973)


New design. When the stamp was re-issued, for an unknown reson the chimney pots of the castle were removed. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1989)


Dangerous ! Four men, working with hammers on the same piece. Quite dangerous ! (GREECE - 1933)


Missing pillar ! The Parthenon-temple in Athens has 8 pilars on its font side, not seven ! (GREECE - 1961)


Wrong scout greeting. Scouts in uniform wearing a hat, greet with their fingers touching their hat (GREECE - 1960)


Wrong position A man is being X-rayed with his arms in the wrong position, the arms should indeed be in the akimbo-position. (HUNGARY - 1931)


Wrong hand The statue on the top of the post building in Dublin holds the javelin in the right hand. (IRELAND - 1990)


Wrong lighthouse. The light of a lighthouse is a beam, not a bulb. (ITALY - 1955)


No issue. There is a carriage way under the railway bridge, which was omitted on the left side. When the tamp was reissued, this error was corrected. (KENYA UGANDA TANZANIA - 1935)


Big envelopes. The size of the envelopes is out of proportion. (LAO - 1962)


Who won ? The election od the 43rd president of the USA was a real thriller, as both candidates claimed the victory during weeks. Liberia wanted to be the first country to issue a stamp with the new president, and printed stamps featuring each candidate. (LIBERIA - 2000)


Bad design. Even Churchill will not have recognized himself in this stamp. (MALI - 1974)


Wrong quote. President Kennedy was misquoted on this stamp. He actually said 'Ask not what your country CAN do for you' and not 'WILL do for you'. (MONACO - 1964)


Missing detail. The whale that is about to be harponed, has a good chance of getting away, as there is no rope attatched to the harpoon. (NEW ZEALAND - 1956)


Missing decoration. Missing decoration on the ceremony dress of the Queen. The error was corrected. (NEW ZEALAND - 1988)


Bad restauration. The mediaeval frescoes of this church had been vanished during centuries. During the restauration they were removed by accident. A local minor artist replaced them in time for the inauguration, but some time later the forgery was discovered (the artist included some portraits of his relatives, even from the filmstar Marlene Dietrich). The frescoes were cleaned off, only the stamps remain as witnesses of the fraud. (GERMANY - 1951)


Wrong city. The blason of East Berlin instead of West Berlin was pictured on this stamp : the coat of arms with the bear should be pointed, not rounded. (GERMANY - 1987)


Wrong design. The design of the castle of Charlottenburg was ovver-simplified : the characteristic weather-clock in the shape of a woman has disappeared, as have the stautes on the roof. (GERMANY - 1987)


One too less. One platform of this tower has disappeared : there are six platforms, not five. (GERMANY - 1973)


Missing windows. Townhall of Bamberg with only seven windows on the fist floor, and eight on the second floor. In fact each floor has nine windows. (GERMANY - 1978)


Artist's licence ? The old town of Nürnberg is hardly to be recognized on this stamp. (GERMANY - 1971)


Wrong representation The characteristic wrinckled, plastic formed roof on the Cultural Palace in Dresden has been coimpletely levelled on the stamp. (GERMANY - 1969)


Wrong foot. Wrong foot forwards : this man will hurt himself. (POLAND - 1947)


Missing shoes ! Painful job, without shoes ! (POLAND - 1947)


Strange grip Impossible use of such an heavy hammer (VENEZUELA - 1964)


Different shape Moutains with two different shapes in the background (TANGANYKA - 1961)


Missing reins No reins to lead the horse (SWITZERLAND - 1941)


Wrong side The string of this bow was frist pictured on the wrong side of the stock. The error was corrected. (SWITZERLAND - 1904-08)


Wrong title H.R. meaning Her Majesty was corrected in H.R.H. : Her Royal Highness (TANZANIA - 1980)


Clever re-use ! Stamp prepared in 1942 to celebrate the 20th annniversary of the Fascism, but not issued, due to the political changes. The same stamp, with overprint, was issued the next year to celebrate the fall of the Fascism ! (SAN MARINO - 1943)


Free horses Missing harness and reins to stear these horses. (FRANCE - 1946)


Not the real one ? The real Superman has a big red S covering a most of his chest. (CANADA - )


Impossible cube A Rubick's cube with 3x3x4 levels is technically impossible (LESOTHO - 1991)


Strange wind The flags are pointing in different directions (GERMANY - 1980)


Floating whale A whale cannot float on water (SPAIN - 1960)


Wrong number of strings Only four instead of six strings for this guitar, they dissapear in the center hole where they become five. (CHILE - 1972)


Dangerous transportation Bicycles without brakes, and horses without reins. (GERMANY - 1987)


Strange wind According to the flag the wind is stromg, but the flames of the fire do not feel the wind.and flames seem not to (CANADA - 1983)


Wrong number Daffodils have 6 floral leaves, not 5 as featured on this stamp. (PAKISTAN - 1962)


Not easy and secure The bearers use the same shoulder, which is less confortable and same than alternate the sholders. (MALAGASY - 1908)


Additional pole Additional pole on the tower on one of the stamps (ANGUILLA - 1981)


No relationship There is no relationship between J. Enrique Pestalozzi (1746-1827) who died 60 years before the german newspaper Argentinisches Tageblatt was founded. (ARGENTINA - 1989)


Wrong model This stamp features a Rower scout, but the model is in fact an English scout, Kenneth Courtenay. (AUSTRALIA - 1948)


Wrong statue The Statue of Liberty pictured on this U.S. stamp is not the neoclassical icon on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, but the replica at the New York Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 2011)


Wrong direction This telegraphic line goes from East to West,, not from North to South as inbdicated by the position of the sun. (AUSTRALIA - 1972)


Wrong twist The stamps shows too much twists in the wreath of the Australian coat-of-arms. (AUSTRALIA - 1976)


Wrong colour The colour of the fleur-de-lys is gold, thus a dark colour should have been chosen. (FRANCE - 1941)


Wrong colour As the colour of the lion and the fleur-de lys is gold, they should have been represented in a dark colour. (FRANCE - 1941)


Wrong direction The lid covering the pipe opens in the wrong direction (AUSTRIA - 1934)


Wrong nationality Issue of 9 stamps featuring Austrian doctors. Gerald Freiherr Van Swieten lived in Vienna, but was Dutch. (AUSTRIA - 1937)


Wrong nationality Issue of 9 stamps featuring Austrian doctors. Karl Freiherr Von Rokitansky lived in Vienna, but was born in Moravia, Czechoslovakia. (AUSTRIA - 1937)


Wrong nationality Issue of 9 stamps featuring Austrian doctors. Joseph Skoda lived in Vienna, but was born in Pilsen, Bohemia (AUSTRIA - 1937)


Wrong nationality Issue of 9 stamps commemorating Austrian doctors. Ferdinand Ritter Von Arlt however was born in Graupen, South Bohemia (AUSTRIA - 1937)


Wrong nationality Issue of 9 stamps commemorating Austrian doctors. Theodor Billtoth however lived in Vienna, but was born in Germany (AUSTRIA - 1937)


Wrong nationality Issue of 9 stamps commemorating Austrian doctors. Theodor Meynert however lived in Vienna, but was born in Germany (AUSTRIA - 1937)


Disputed design To commemorate the Polish independence, a stamp was issued with crossed swords, symbols of the Teutonic Knights, trampled by the featured people. After a reaction from Germany, the stamp was reissued, without the swords. (POLAND - 1938)


Strange choice Why choose a descending curve to illustrate a stamp commemorating the Spanish Bureau of Statistics ? (SPAIN - 1956)


Not professional Cards are not ordered correctly (by colour, then in increasing or decreasing order). (MALI - 1978)


Wrong period This is not a prehistorical bridge, just a medieval one. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1968)


Wrong year Instead of the data from 1989, the data of 1995 were shown. (GERMANY - 1989)


Missing cupboard The cupboard under the open book is missing. (ITALY - 2008)


Without spectacles In more than 40 years, King Boudouin was only featured once without spectacles. (BELGIUM - 1952)


Not satisfied The president did not like the way he was pictured on the stamp, and ordered the issue of a corrected stamp. (GUINEA - 2006)


Wrong colour The colour of the Esperante star is green as shown on an Austrian stamp, not white. (BRAZIL - 1960)


Historical truth On David's painting, Napoelon's mother was represented, although se was not present at his coronation. On a French stamp, she discretely disappeared. (CAMEROON - 1969)


Wrong associations Wheat is associated with the province of Alberta, and oil is associated with Saskatchewan. The two provinces were inverted. (CANADA - 1955)


Strange natural resource Natural resources of Canada : the fish however are sharks (see their tails) which are far to be natural resources, but more a destructive nuisance. Hidden date and initial. (CANADA - 1961)


Error in arms of coat A fleur-de-lys is missing in the arms of coat of Quebec. (CANADA - 1962)


Wrong logo Guides with the emblem of boy scouts. The girls emblem is a tree leaf clover. (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - 1978)


Easy to proclame This sheet was issued : ... in recognition of the warm friendships and mutual understanding which stamp collecting promotes among te people ... But after the issue, a conflict about Taiwan occured, and China withdrawned its participation to the stamp exhibition. (CHINA - 1986)


Missing stars On the 3c provisional stamps, only six stars surrounded the eagle, instead of nine, on star for each confederated state. This was corrected in the definitive issue. (COLOMBIA - )


Better late than never This series of stamps, produced in 1967 to commemorate the Jewish community in the country, was withdrawn to express the dissaproval agaiinst the Arab-Israeli Six-Day war. The stamps were discreetly sold a couple of years later. (CZECHOSLOVAKIA - 1967)


Without effort The horses are controlled without effort (DENMARK - 1925)


Wrong direction The shadow of the legs is pointing in the direction of the sun. (ECUADOR - 1936)


Strange Is it SELLASSIE or SELASSIE ? Furthermore a stamp claims to celebrate 'his first 60th birthday'. What else could it be ? (ETHIOPIA - 1952)


Contrary winds Flags ans sails indicate contrary winds. (FALKLAND ISLANDS - 1974)


One too much Chessboard with 9 rows. (FEROE - )


Missing wings The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes 5Mercurius)in Greek mythology. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. (FRANCE - 1938)


Not the first Jean de Vienne was not the first admiral of France, since this title was created in 1270, this title was given at least at ten people before him. (FRANCE - 1942)


Missing stars The two stars were ommitted in this fleur-de lys symbol. (FRANCE - 1947)


Two missing stars A French Marchal has seven stars on his uniform. As Marshal de Lattre de Tassigny recieved this title after his death, no picture of him existed with seven stars, so he was featured in his general uniform. (FRANCE - 1952)


Wrong colour In the arms of Paris, the lilies do not have a white colour, but a gold colour. (FRANCE - 1962)


One too much On the stamp the clock of the famous bell-tower La gros-Horloge in Rouen has two pointers, in reality there is only one. (FRANCE - 1976)


Wrong direction The machine pistol should point towards the left, not to the right. (GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC - 1960)


Strange position The worker is carrying a stone like an accordeon. (GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC - 1952)


No head protection An adequate head protection is missing. (GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC - 1952)


Many errors Many errors : seven starts insteas of nne flowers, only two legs and not three on a scimitar and not a sword, open mouth with visible tongue, no splitted tail, and a protection around the right arm. (FINLAND - 1856)


In the middle Bell of Freedom with the tongue to the left, speedily corrected with the tongue to the right, and finally, to avoid further discussions, with the tongue in the middle. (GERMANY - 1951-53)


Wrong coat of arms Instead of the coat of arms of the region of SAARLAND, the stamp shows the coat of arms of the city of SAARBRÜCKEN. (GERMANY - 1945)


Forgotten This German stationery card from 1940 commemorates 100 year Stamps, but as they were in war with England, did not mention that the first stamp was British. (GERMANY - 1940)


Strange illustration St George slaying the Dragon : perhaps a questionable illustration during World War II as St George is a well known symbol for Great Britain. (GERMANY - 1943)


Misquotation Misquotation from the German Federal Republic Charter. Wrong : Die Staatsgewalt geht vom Volke aus - Correct : Alle Staatsgewalt geht vom Volke aus. (GERMANY - 1981)


Not clear message One hundred year 1 May is not a strong message. Better would have been : One hundred year Labor Day. (GERMANY - 1990)


Wrong stamp 'Stamp Day' but one ot these stamps, the third from left, had nothing to do with Stamp Days, it was issued to copmmemorate 125 years of stamps in 1965. (GERMANY - 1986)


Wrong illustration The stamp shows postal traffic between New-Ulm and Glänsberg around 1846, and has nothihng to do with 'Letter post despatch Thurn & Taxis 1852'. (GERMANY - 1952)


Mirror newspaper Title of the newspaper at the wrong side. (POLAND - 1970)


Without permission The designers of this stamp used without permission a photo from a professional photographer, who complained about it. (SPAIN - 2010)


Wrong colours Rainbow with incorrect colours. (UNITED NATIONS - 1979)


Inversion The colours of the rainbow are invered. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - )


Stamp with error stamp Stamp featuring a stamp from 1859 with error : facial value 2 shilling, but in letters zwei ein halb. (GERMANY - 1959?)


Wrong colors Wrong colors on the shield og Tarragona : blue instead of red, and silver instead of gold. (SPAIN - 1965)


Coïncidence Return to the writer, said a postmark on this letter, pointing to a stamp featuring Jean Sibelius. (FINLAND - 1944)


Many errors Many errors even for a black and white representation : silver lion in first quarter, silver eagles on a red band in the third quarter, lion on a black field in the fourth quarter. (GERMANY - 1957)


Why not ? When he died, Leclerc was a five-stars general. And why is the fag missing on the cathedral of Strasbourg, as he had declared that he would not stop fightng before. (FRANCE - 1948)


Misplaced overprint Overprinted Christmas stamp, as if the angel was singing : Referendum 1978, vote early. (GHANA - 1977)


Wrong hand Boy-scouts use a special left-handed handshake. Correct on a stamp from Japan. (GRENADA - 1972)


Missing mullets Missing mullets in the lily of the scouts logo. Correct on a stamp from Grenada. (CHAD - 1972)


Ballon In his book Around the world in 80 days, there is no mention of any balloon. (GRENADA - 1979)


Mixed up The motives of the two stamps have been mixed up, and do not match anymore with the inscriptions. (GRENADA GRENADINES - 1985)


Opposite direction The smoke of the boat and from the chimney are going in opposite directions (FINLAND - 1949)


No currency The statue of the Hawaiian King Kamehamha I shown on this stamp was in fact modelled from a young Kanakan athlete, named Kaopuiki, as no likeness of the King was known. No mention od the currency, only 5. (HAWAI - 1883)


Not white The Esperanto-star is green, not white. A dark star would have been more suitable. (HUNGARY - 1957)


Lost King 80th anniversary of the first Hungarian stamp. King Franz Joseph was carefully removes and substituted with de date. (HUNGARY - 1951)


Useless gun The ammunition drum has a wrong shape, and the trigger is missing (HUNGARY - 1953)


Forgotten wish General Leclerc had declared that he would not enter Strasbourg again, without the French flag at the top of the cathedral. This was forgotten and afterwards corrected. (FRANCE - 1953)


Bas design The design of one of the orders of chevalry worn by George V was so bad that instead of an elephant, it mas more like a pig. This was corrected afterwards. (INDIA - 1911)


Wrong side The scythe on the stamp is made for left-handed people, but carried by a right-handed worder. (IRELAND - 1931)


Too big Such an impressive axe was never carried by a Viking, mor likely by a mediaeval executioner. (ISLE OF MAN - 1983)


Not professionel This is an almost impossible way to fix a bandage. (BELGIAN CONGO - 1957)


Wrong title Picture taken after the wedding ceremony. It is thus wrong to call the fresh Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge simply Miss Catherine Middleton. (AUSTRALIA - 2011)


Many errors The alligator should rest on a plumet helmet, the woman should have a single feather bound to her brow, and the man should have a stringed bow. Correct on later stamps. (JAMAICA - 1903)


Without permission The illustration of this stamp was copied, without permission, from the Bulletin nr 2 for the STOCHOLMIA-86 stamp exhibition. (NORTH KOREA - )


Wrong citation The correct quotation from the Declaration of Human Rights is 'Thou shalt not enslave him, not 'Thou shall ....' (KUWAIT - 1978)


Missing cross A cross is missing on a tower on some of these stamps. (BELGIUM - 1958)


Too big A chessboard has 8 by 8 squares. (LAO - 1984)


Issued again This stamp was withdrawn because the banknote was printed in the wrong colour. Was issued again some years later. (LESOTHO - 1980)


Dangerous Correct a scythe on your knee using a hammer, is not very intelligent. (LIECHTENSTEIN - 1951)


No risks On the original drawing, a black child is holding a white one. A French stamp from 1989 shows it correctly, but on the American one, no risk was taken, with two white chiildren. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1989)


Never issued The 50 F Golden coin honouring the 70th birthday of Prince Franz Josef II was in fact never issued. (LIECHTENSTEIN - 1976)


Slight different Design of the seal on the stamp is a little bit different (no floor and different text) from the original one. (SWEDEN - 1966)


Wrong pyramid In line with the sphinx is not the Cheops pyramid, but the Chefren pyramid. (MALI - 1971)


Old picture ? When this stamp was issued in 1963, the spectator accomodation was fully covered, not half as shown on this stamp. (MONACO - 1963)


Wrong direction Representation of a stamp of Sardaigne with the nscription BOLLO written from te botton to the top. (MONACO - 1960)


Too small The magnifying glass lies on the stamp, as thus has the same size as the stamp, only 2 cm. (ALGERIA - 1987)


Wrong time Sowing in summertime, as in the nearby field, the corn is ready to be harvested. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1954)


Two errors When captain Cook landed at Poverty Bay, his ship was ancored half a mile from the shore, not close as on the stamp. And the man are pushing and pulling the boat in opposite directions. (NEW ZEALAND - 1935)


Two errors The seaweed with this shrimp is the Serrated wrack (Fucus serrratus) which does not occur further south than Spain, and hence does not occur in Morocco. Wrong : ARISTEOMORPHA - Correct : ARISRAEOMORPHA (MOROCCO - 1965)


Big ball The boy is the middle spreads his hands to catch a much smaller ball than the one featured on the stamp. (NEW ZEALAND - 1939)


Too big The shadow of this plane is much too big, cannot be larger than the plane itself. (NEW ZEALAND - 1950)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (SWITZERLAND - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (TURKEY - 1970)


Wrong direction Flags in different directions. (GERMANY - 1982)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (SAN MARINO - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (PORTUGAL - 1970)


Only two Playing cards do not have three top rows. (BELGIUM - 1944)


Wrong title Ed. Halley was never knighted, and the length of the comet is somewhat exaggerated. (NIGER - 1985)


Too big The palm trees on the background are completely out of proportion. (NIGERIA - 1953)


Not coherent The shadow of the leopard appears right below the animal, while the sun is in the back. (NYASALAND - 1945)


No connexion The name of the state was derived from the Dutch Prince of Oranje, there is thus no connexion with an orange tree. (FREE STATE ORANGE - 1868)


Missing head The fairy head at the feft food of Peter Pan has been omitted. (NEW ZEALAND - 1945)


Wrong direction A leg bandage starts at the foot and goes up to the knee. (NIGERIA - 1966)


Incorrect stars Instead of the three eight-pointed stars with wavy arms, the stamp shows three six-pointed mullets with straight-sided arms. (NEW ZEALAND - 1950)


Two languages Stamps are issued in French and English. When a stamp is issued in French, the English mention EIIR stays before the French mention RF. Sometimes forgotten and corrected. (NEW HEBRIDES - 1965)


Two languages Stamps are issued in French and English. When a stamp is issued in French, the English mention EIIR stays before the French mention RF. Sometimes forgotten and corrected. (NEW HEBRIDES - 1965)


Two languages Stamps are issued in French and English. When a stamp is issued in French, the English mention EIIR stays before the French mention RF. Sometimes forgotten and corrected. (NEW HEBRIDES - 1965)


Two languages Stamps are issued in French and English. When a stamp is issued in French, the English mention EIIR stays before the French mention RF. Sometimes forgotten and corrected. (NEW HEBRIDES - 1965)


Dangerous This is not a recommended way to carry a gun, with the barrel pointed to your head. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1964)


Small detail This stamp was withdrawn, as the flag was featured half mast on the city house of Katowice. (POLAND - 1937)


Dangerous Plow with the reins around your neck ? Unusual and ... dangerous. (SWEDEN - 1948)


Not horizontal The nurse is tilting the bottel ... and the level of the contained liquid is tilting with it. (POLAND - 1959)


Three too much 19 spokes for the at that time 19 partecipating countries at the European Post Union. Portugal apparently missed the count, and showed 22 spokes . (PORTUGAL - 1960)


Golden square A 'golden square' does not exist on a chessboard. (ROMANIA - 1984)


Not professional The designer of the stamp had better consulted a trained nurse : wrong side, and not close enough. (ROMANIA - 1976)


Two missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (GERMANY - 1970)


Two missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (IRELAND - 1970)


Two missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (LIECHTENSTEIN - 1970)


Wrong leaf This silkworm is shown on a lime tree leaf (dark nerves), but in fact it lives and eats only mulberry leaves (light nerves) . (ROMANIA - 1963)


Wrong shadow With a rising sun in the back, everything in the foreground ought to be poorly illuminated with long shadows in the front. But not on this stamp. (SRI LANKA - 1972)


Missing girl Series to commemorate the 75th anniversary of theBoy Scouts and Girl Guides. But no girl can be seen anywhere (SIERRA LEONE - )


Wrong method Wrong way to apply a bandage. It is important to stay as close as possible to the arm. (SAINT HELENA - 1970)


Wrong method Wrong way to apply a bandage. It is important to stay as close as possible to the arm. (GHANA - 1970)


Different from reality Buckingham Palace is set in open parkland, with no flag pole and with the wing at the left omitted. (CHAD - 1977)


Missing figures Stamp featuring Donald Duck's anniversary, mentioning six popular figures, although only four are shown on the stamp. (TOGO - 1987)


Wrong material The roofs on the houses in the background of the Menai Bridge are in fact made of slate, not red tiles. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1968)


Missing pyramids This stamp shows the Sphinx and the three large pyramids, but omits the three smaller ones in front of the Great Pyramid, and the three at te side. (UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC - 1933)


One too much The Esculape, symbol of the medecine, has only one snake. (CHAD - 1969)


Bas representation The representation of this one-winged postwoman has been critized as see seems to be loosing all her mail. (SWITZERLAND - 1900)


Wrong ancestors On this sheet, a reference is made to the 'Panther of Yorkist Henry VI', as everyone knws that Henry VI belonged to the House of Lancaster. (SOUTH GEORGIA - 1978)


Missing hands The emblem of St Vincent includes an ancient altar on the side of which is depicted a pair of clapsed hands, sometimes forgotten. (SAINT VINCENT - 1880)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (CYPRUS - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (BELGIUM - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (GREECE - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (ICELAND - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (LUXEMBOURG - 1970)


Missing countries In this 'flaming sun' the number of threads are supposed to match the number of coutries in CEPT, 24 at the time the common issue of this stamp was conceived, but before the stamp was issued Jugoslavia and Malta also joined, so there should have been 26 threads (France and Andorra got it right). (YUGOSLAVIA - 1970)


Missing teeth Stamp featuring a famous old Belgian stamp ... with two damaged teeth. (BELGIUM - 1993)


Wrong representation The shepheards not only did not watch thier charges, but ostentatiously turned their backs on them ! (UNITED KINGDOM - 1982)


Two less Thirty six seats representing the attendance of the Heads of Government to a Commonwealth meeting. As Uganda ans Seychelles never attended, they were only 34. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1977)


Not English Stamps featuring English trees. But this Horse Chesnut is not a genuine one, it was imported to England in the seventeenth century. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1974)


Wrong shadows The shadows on the stamp are not parallel but seem to convert to one point. (TRISTAN DA CUNHA - 1971)


Bad copy When this stamp had to be reprinted, the original mold could not be found. So the image in a stamp catalogue was taken as model, completely with the perforation. But Sirmoor was wrongly copied in Sirmdor. (SIRMOOR - 1879)


Not historically correct Centurion on horseback carrying an eagle standard. The standard is much too short, and was borne by a special standard-bearer who went on foot and wore a bearskin cap. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1971)


Wrong falls These are not the Alesia falls, which are much less impressive, but the Malifa falls. (WESTERN SAMOA - 1952)


No relation The theologian Alexander Vinet lived and died in Clarens, but as the designer did not have city views of Clarens, he used the island of Salagon in Lake Geneva, which has no association whatsoever with Vinet. (SWITZERLAND - 1931)


Impossible position As two wires passes behind the head of the worker, he is twisted in the wires. Furthermore one of the wires is not attached to the pole. (ROMANIA - 1945)


No member As the United Kingdom did not adopted the Euro, it is strange to find their flag together with the other Euro-members. (PORTUGAL - 1999)


Missing inscription The inscription PTT was forgotten in the center stamp from the last row of the sheet. (YUGOSLAVIA - 1989)


Missing island This stamp shows a bay called First Boca, but from this position another island should be visible. (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - 1935)


Wrong représentation This undersea panarama is labelled BUCCOO REEF, but is in fact based on a mural decoration in an hotel in Port of Spain made by an artist, who never visited Buccoo Reef. (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - 1962)


Lost explorer The French explorer Jean Nicolet was the first explorer to reach Lake Michigan. As he thought he had landed in China, he put on Chinese clothes to greet the Indians (according to a painting by Edw. W. Deming) (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1934)


Wrong colour Stamp featuring the famous Order of the Elephant decoration, with a wrong coloured ribbon. (DENMARK - )


Missing trees The well known magnolia trees at the left front side of the White House were completely omitted. See other stamp. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1963)


Angel or woman ? The angel Michael looks more like a flying woman in dark clothes than like an angel. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1965)


Crown At the end of the second World War Poland became a Republic. From then the crown above the eagle was removed from the coat of arms. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1966)


Wrong count Inauguration Day Cover for Ronald Reagan : he was not the 39th, but the 40th President of the United States. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1981)


Strange rifle The third soldier from the bottom is not holding a rifle with bayonet, but a very long sword. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1987)


Not both The prihnt named 'The Road-Winter' was produced and published in 1853, some years before Ives and Currier became partners. It should be credited to Currier alone, like the 'Winter Pastime' on another stamp. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1974)


Strange rope The rope is twisted in two différent directions, sometimes single, sometimes double. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1957)


Missing ham. In the stamp booklet called 'Stamps for Cooks' the ham was forgotten in the list of ingredients of the Ham Club Sandwich. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1986)


Too much black As the black colour was a little bit too dominant, a new corrected stamp was issued with a little less black color. (NIGERIA - 1970)


Fighting through stamps Russia issued a stamp featuring a Greek communist, with the message 'Freedom for Manolis Glezos'. Almost immediately Greece responded, and issued a stamp with the killed Hungarian prime minister Imre Nagy, and the message 'Freedom for the people'. (GREECE - 1959)


Complicated winds There is no coordination between the wind in the sails and in the flags. (SWEDEN - 1936)


Wrong side When giving the names of a number of people, the noraml way is to go from left to right. On this stamp, Sweden is breaking this rule, starting from the right. (SWEDEN - 1961)


Free horses Who is steering thoses horses ? Certainly not the two archers who seem to have other priorities. (ALGERIA - )


Additional row The Unesco headquarters have one row additional of balconies comparing to the stamp. (FRANCE - 1958)


No accents No accents are used for information on creditcards. (FRANCE - 2001)


Wrong side On one side, the curtains are fixed outside the windiow. (FRANCE - 1960)


Missing harness No reins and no harness, so the woman is doing all the work. (FRANCE - 1940)


Wrong transcription In the text of the Delaration of the Rights, 'devoirs' was erroneously transcripted to 'pouvoirs'. (FRANCE - 1989)


Colour correction Without explanations, the blue color of the cane sugar plants was changed into a more appropriate green. (FIJI - 1938)


Wrong cut Sharpen that good old pencil you still have somewhere in your house, and look at the result. Surely not as wrongly shown on the Danish postmark, but close to the correct Dutch stamp. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1979)


Wrong method No preliminary cut to force the tree to fall in the correct direction,and in normal circumstances, a tree is never cut wen it has leaves. (FRANCE - 1995)


Wrong place Those pilars are not located in front of the central building, but at the entrance of the Escorial Memorial. (SPAIN - 1959)


Missing reins No visible reins to steer the horses. (FRANCE - 1917)


Wrong landscape The chuch of Domrémy is not located behind the house of Jeanne d'Arc, and has no needle-shaped tower. (FRANCE - 1996)


Not horizontally This reliquary was not represented horrizontally on the stamp (FRANCE - 1995)


Missing wings The Caduceus has two little wings that have been omitted on this stamp. (FRANCE - 1938)


Wrong landscape The mountain and the church on the background do not exist in reality. (FRANCE - 1995)


Wrong colour As the colour of the olive branch in the coat of arms of Reims is green, it should have been represented in a dark colour in a black and with representation. (FRANCE - 1941)


Wrong landscape The designer did not made the effort of forgot to represent a big part of the city of Dinan in the Rance Valley. (FRANCE - 1961)


Wrong landscape Wrong landscape : the city of Millau-Aveyron is not located as close to the canyon of Tarn. (FRANCE - 1997)


Wrong colour Wrong colour of the rocks on which the eagle is standing. (FRANCE - 1958)


Poor drawing The white line showung the antartic trip of Lt WILKINS was drawn in fornt of the ship, then behind the sails. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - )


Missing word The exact text on the metal plate left on the moon is : 'Here men from THE planet earth...', not 'Here men from planet earth ...' (AJMAN - 1975)


Wrong medal Nobel peace price winner with wrong medal : chmistry instead of peace. The stamp was withdrawn and corrected. (BANGLADESH - 2007)


Missing end In the original text, there is an exclamation point at the end of this sentence. (ITALY - 1962)


Wrong colour In the coat of arms of Paris, the lily flowers are in gold, and should have been represented in a dark colour. (ITALY - 1959)


Impossible position As the feet have no grip, it is impossible to stay on the roof without falling. (DAHOMEY - 1966)


Bad choice Perhaps no a good idea to illustrate UNICEF stamps with fighting children. (AFGHANISTAN - 1961)


Bad representation Bad representation of the Freench President on this stamp. (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - 1984)


Missing crowd An almost empty stadion for an Olympic competition is not very realistic. (CUBA - 1976)


Impossible date According to this postmark, this postcard arrived on January 32nd ! (GERMANY - 1986)


Wrong slogan The slogan for the 25th anniversary of the U.N. Charter was Peace, Progress and Justice. Justice however was forgotten, and added on a new stamp the following year. (UNITED NATIONS - 1970)


Wrong slogan The slogan for the 25th anniversary of the U.N. Charter was Paix, Justice et Progrès. Justice however was forgotten, and added on a new stamp the following year. (UNITED NATIONS - 1970)


Alone Lynx do not live in couples. (GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC - 1959)


Not in order First one or two rejones de castigo ('lances of punishment') are stabbed into the bull's neck, before the rejoneador places up to six banderillas. (SPAIN - )


Poor design According to a Swedish novel, this is Bishop Brask reading a piece of paper that saved his life. But the drawing was so poor, that many people saw him drinking a glass of Schnapps. (SWEDEN - 1987)


Not necessary A jamboree is a world reunion of scouts, thus international in not necessary in International Scout Jamboree. (LIBERIA - 1971)


Missing stars The two stars were ommitted in this fleur-de lys symbol. (YEMEN - 1967)


Promotion On this stamp 'Stonewall' Jackson is raised to full general, though in fact even in the Confederation army his highest rank was Lieutnant General. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1937)


Both hands The featuring of postal riders on Swedish stamps is not coherent : sometimes he is blowing his horn with his left hand, sometimes with the right. (SWEDEN - 1936)


In and out Same scenery represented from the inside and the outside, except that the little boy was featured in and out the house. (SINGAPORE - 2012)


Bad choice Not a clever idea to choose a woman with a new born child to illustrate a stamp dedicated to war prisoners who were away from home for more than four years. (ALGERIA - 1944)


Out of proportion The streetlamp reaches the third plane of the house. (CANADA - 1982)


In the same plane The diamond ring that supports the cross and the cross have to be in the same plane, not in perpendicular ones. Correct on a stamp from 1953. (UNITED KINGDOM - 1937)


Political example Propose Nixon as a political exemple, a few years only after he was forced to abdict as president ? Do they really think the voters are stupid ? (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1995)


Wrong side This farmer is walking on the earth is has just ploughed. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1937)


Wrong season Trees with leaves are not cut (FINLAND - 1930)


Wrong reflexion Only three olympic rings, and not coherent reflexion in the water. (BOSNIA - 1997)


Wrong army As Berlin was liberated by the Russian army, there is no reason to show an American Sherman tank. (NEW CALEDONIA - 1995)


Cheap issue To commemorate an internation meeting, Pakistan used a stamp issued the year before by Iran. But they forgot to add their own country name and to remowe some side information. The stamp was withdrawn. (PAKISTAN - 2007)


Dangerous Despite the heavy wind (see flag) the security belts are not fasten. (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1998)


Error in logo Addition line in the letter R of the logo, see other stamp with the correct logo. (MOLDOVA - )


Mixed up Dances were mixed up between two stamps : Dance KANTERE and Dance des POANS. A corrected stamp was issued. (CAMBODIA - 1988)


Mixed up Dances were mixed up between two stamps : Dance KANTERE and Dance des POANS. A corrected stamp was issued. (CAMBODIA - 1988)


Additional dot In a booklet with five pairs of two stamps, those two stamps should have been identical, ... except for an additional dot ! (BELGIUM - 1998)


Paralympic games ? This is not a competition for disabled people, but ... with disabled people. (LITHUANIA - 2006)


Gravitation Wrong illustration of solidarity, as without fixed supports, all the birds will crash. (FRANCE - 1992)


Strange association It is strange to see a Valentine's heart associated with love on a stamp issued to promote the medical treatment of heart diseases. (CANADA - 1972)


Wrong country This Nobelprize winner was not German, but Dutch. (GRENADA - 1977)


Sloppy writing The border inscription says : Many countries celebrate the New Year on the first of the year. This is sloppy writing since every coutnry that celebrates the New Year does so "on the first of the year" ! The question is : by what calendar ? (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1994)


Drama on the railroad One of the railbuilders has clearly the intention of murdering his co-worker with his too long pickaxe. (SWEDEN - 1956)


Wrong country This stamp commemorates a National Japanese Jamboree, but sows an american boyscout. (JAPAN - 1949)


Wrong origin This stamp was said tp show Baccarat cristal, but shows three glasses of the Anmaur collection made at Val Saint Lambert in Belgium (FRANCE - 1954)


Too many colours Only 3 players, but pawns of 4 different colours are flying around. (GERMANY - 2010)


Danger ! It is clear that the safety rules must be improved urgently ! (PAKISTAN - 2000)


Wind or no wind? The flames seem not to be affected by the wind, the flag does. (UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC - 1966)


Not together An ice-bear (North pole) and a pinguin (South pole) can not be found living together (LATVIA - 1999)


Impossible cut It is impossible to obtain such a clean cut with an axe (UNITED NATIONS - 1986)