Instructions for the submission

1. Basics

As well as the pleasure, rest and relaxation that an interest in philately (postage stamps or postal history) brings with it, there is always the concern associated with forging and manipulation. The Bund Philatelistischer Prüfer e. V. (BPP) is committed to the task of warning collectors of the risk of losses and as far as possible protecting them. High-quality material, but also philatelic items that are particularly vulnerable to forging (e.g. overprinted stamps, cancellations used for short periods, repairs) should be purchased only when expertised. Expertising marks can also be forged, and so it is worthwhile to check any expertising marks. The expertisers who are members of the BPP will be accepted by all the major German philatelic associations. Philatelic expertising done by the members of the BPP is based on expertising rules that can be found on the home page of the BPP www.bpp.de and are published in the Michel catalogue. To protect themselves from harm by manipulation and forging, all collectors should make use of the expertising facility.

2. Points to consider when submitting items for expertisation

2.1 The nature of the business relationship

When submitting an item to an expertiser of the BPP e.V., the expertising rules of the BPP e.V. are to be expressly acknowledged in writing. In these, the legal relationship between customer and contractor (expertiser) are regulated.

2.2 Preparing an item for expertising

1. Learn about the expertising area and determine the competent expertiser. Please keep in mind that expertisers are approved only for specific, precisely defined areas of expertising.

2. The expertiser is entitled not to accept the expertising request. In case of doubt it is therefore a good idea to ask the expertiser.

3. Valuation is not one of the duties of the expertiser; publicly appointed and sworn experts are responsible for this (see Expert Group).

4. Use the correct address of the expertiser according to the delivery conditions of Deutsche Post AG. Instructions on the availability of expertisers can be found on the home page of the BPP and in the philatelic press.

5. Note the expertising worthiness of the philatelic items. Individual items for expertising should normally have a net value of €25, the entire shipment of items for economic reasons a net value of €150. Exceptions are areas that are particularly susceptible to forging, such as overprinted stamps or cancellations with short-term validity.

2.3 Presentation of items sent for expertising

1. A list of items for expertisation is to be attached to the expertising request. Please specify the form (“signing”, findings or attestation) in which you want the result of the expertisation. The expertiser is, however, free to choose the form.

2. The items to be expertised must be submitted as used loose stamps in clean, crease-free condition, as otherwise no expertisation of the quality can be done 

3. The number of expertised items is to be limited. It is different in various expertising areas and should preferably be arranged with the expertiser beforehand.

4. Make two copies of the items for expertising and enclose one with the material. The other serves to detect any loss in transit.

5. Note the expertising time. It is usually two months, maximum four months, if no other provision was made with the expertiser.

6. The client is obliged to alert the expertiser of all the circumstances known to him which might lead to an incorrect assessment according to the expertising rules of the BPP e.V. In particular, expertisations already known, the results of preliminary expertisations, errors, repairs, etc. as well as multiple existence of the same expertising item are to be communicated to the expertiser.

7. The risk for sending items for expertising is borne by the submitter. Therefore items for expertising should be sent by registered delivery (compensation for loss currently up to €25) or by express post against signature. Many expertisers also have a low-priced, private transit insurance for outward and return shipping, please enquire.

8. Inform the expertiser as to how the expertised item should be returned. If return by registered mail is desired a properly stamped envelope for the return is to be enclosed.

9. Please remember the additional protection of expertised items against external influences. Therefore use additional double cardboard inserts, moisture protection and strong envelopes.