Afghanistan stamps year 1998 Soccer – World Cup France set MSS MNH
The item you are asking about is the Souvenir Sheet (MSS) for the Afghanistan 1998 Soccer – World Cup France stamp issue.
Here are the details for the Souvenir Sheet (Miniature Sheet):
- Year of Issue: 1998 (though some World Cup France issues were released in 1997, this specific one is often listed as 1998).
- Theme: 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
- Format: Souvenir Sheet (MSS or Mini-sheet), which typically contains one or more stamps within a larger, decorated sheet.
- Catalogue Information: The set of stamps for the World Cup is listed in the Michel catalogue as 1681-1686 for the individual stamps. The Souvenir Sheet (Miniature Sheet) that accompanies this set is sometimes listed as a Block, and a Michel Block number for a World Cup issue around this time is Mi Bl 97 (though be aware there may be multiple issues or slight year variations like 1996, 1997, and 1998).
- Collector’s Value: Similar to the 1997 set, this is a modern topical issue and is typically available at a very modest price. Retail listings for the Mint Never Hinged (MNH) Souvenir Sheet usually fall in the range of $1 to $5 USD.
- Status Note: Like many issues from Afghanistan in the mid-to-late 1990s, these stamps and souvenir sheets are widely considered to be unauthorized printings (or “illegal stamps”) not officially issued by the legitimate Afghan postal authority at the time. They are, however, still collected by topical collectors.
