One of the key guides to Iranian stamps is a little-known book called the ''Lions of Iran.'' This catalog discusses both the counterfeits and the rarities that Iranian philatelists may come across. Well-known fakes include a series of lithograph prints released between 1881 and 1882, as well as the so-called Tehran typeset series of 1902. You should take care not to invest in Iranian zinc plates from 1924 and 1925 without doing serious authentication.

Since 1979, the Iranian post office has produced issue after issue of religious stamps. One of the most well-known of these is the Islamic Revolution 12th Anniversary Stamp, which went to print in 1991. This stamp features a well-known cleric surrounded by a field of colorful flowers. Given its historical relevance, this stamp, in mint condition, could fetch hundreds of dollars.

Yet post-Shah Iranian stamps don't all focus on religious figures. In 2005, the Iranian postal service put out two very interesting stamps commemorating civilian figures. Some Iran watchers suggest that the issuances of these nonreligious artifacts may indicate a subtle change in the government's attitude toward secularism. That said, others argue that the Iranian government issued these apolitical pieces to throw Western critics for a loop.

One of these stamps celebrates the 70th Anniversary of Iran's Medical University in Tehran. This was released in June 2005. The other stamp pays homage to Ali Daei, the ''World's Best Goal Scorer'' and one of Iran's most popular sports celebrities. Given the government's tendency to propagandize, it's somewhat surprising that it would invest so much effort and resources into printing these secular stamps.