The rarest and most expensive brands of the USSR

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Postage stamp - a special sign of postal payment, issued and sold by national (and other) postal offices and possessing a certain nominal value (par value). Serves to facilitate fees for the transfer of items (items) carried out by mail. The franking of this sign, that is, the marking of the shipment (the sticker on the stamp), indicates the fact of payment for the postal services (first of all - forwarding and delivery of correspondence: letters, postcards, etc.). Since postage stamps are intended for franking letters, they are also called franco-marks. Usually the stamp is a sheet of paper of small size, mostly rectangular in shape, usually with denticles and glue applied to the reverse side. In addition to the nominal, stamps may indicate the name of the postal administration that issued them; Often it depicts various symbols, decorative elements and drawings. Postage stamps are the subject of collecting (Philately).

It is known that the first postage stamp in Russia was issued on December 22, 1857. The first brand was toothless, as the perforating machine issued from Vienna came late and needed adjustment. Appearance of the brand was invented by the senior engraver of the Expedition for the preparation of state securities Franz Mikhailovich Kepler. It depicted mail horns, over which rose the emblem of the Russian Empire, and the inscription: "10 kopecks. For a lot. " One lot was equal to fourteen grams of writing. If the envelope weighed more, then the brands, accordingly, needed to acquire more.

This article is about rare stamps that were issued in due time in the Soviet Union, which today cost a lot of money.

The drawing of the first state brand of Russia in various modifications was popular until 1923. Next, the postage stamps of the Russian Empire were replaced by USSR stamps. Some of them today are very, very expensive, representing a philatelic rarity.

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

«Tiflis Unique»

«Тифлисская уника» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Tiflis Mark" - a very rare postage stamp, issued in the Russian Empire for the city of Tiflis (now Tbilisi) and Kojori in 1857. The release date and symbolism allow us to talk about the "Tiflis Unica" as the first Russian brand.

The nominal value is 6 kopecks. The figure shows the coat of arms of Tiflis, and above it there is a two-headed eagle with wings down.

Before the First World War, only three copies were found. On October 5, 2008, at the largest philatelic auction of David Feldman, one of the three known in the world at that time copies of the Tiflis Unica, formerly owned by Zbigniew Mikulski, was sold for 480,000 euros.

According to the official website of the National Academy of Philately of Russia, in the world at the moment only five copies of the unique brand are known.

"Levanevsky with an overprint"

«Леваневский с надпечаткой» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Levanevsky with an overprint" - the philatelic name of the airmail stamp of the USSR with the portrait of the pilot Levanevsky and the overprint of a limited edition in honor of the interrupted flight Moscow - North Pole - San Francisco (USA).

There are rare varieties of this brand - with the first letter "f" in the word "San Francisco" - five marks in a sheet (one row) with an overturned overprint (presumably one sheet) and an overturned overprint with a lowercase letter "f" (presumably five Pieces).

A stamp with an overprint was issued by the People's Commissar on August 3, 1935, to the planned flight of Sigismund Levanevsky, Georgy Baidukov and Vasily Levchenko on an ANT-25 airplane on the Moscow-North Pole-San Francisco route and was intended to pay for mail on this plane. On that day, an attempt was made to fly to a distance of 2 thousand kilometers, but it was interrupted due to a malfunctioning motor.

According to some reports, an overturned overprint was made on several vintage sheets under a special order of the People's Commissar of Internal Affairs Henry Yagoda, who was known as a philatelist.

According to reports, "Levanevsky with an overprint" of good quality in 1995 cost $ 150, with a line "f" - $ 250, with a "reverse" - $ 5000, with a line "f" on a "reverse" - $ 15,000. In 2003, Levanevsky With an overprint »of good quality was already $ 350-400, with a line" f "- $ 500-600, with a" rewind "- $ 10 000, with a line" f "on the" rewind "- $ 40 000-50 000.

In 2008, the brand with an error was sold at the Cherrystone auction in New York for $ 525,000.

"A hand with a sword, cutting a chain"

«Рука с мечом, разрубающая цепь» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Hand with a sword, chopping the chain" - the first postage stamp of the RSFSR. Released October 25 (November 7), 1918.

A hand with a sword cuts the chain against the background of the sun's rays, and above it the inscription: "Rossiya." The brand exists in two colors: blue (denomination 35 kopecks) and dark brown (75 kopecks).

The make was made by order of the Provisional Government. For a basis one of three specially drawn miniatures of Richard Zarinysh was taken.

"Hand with a sword" did not receive a wide circulation. Therefore, the dried brands are much less common than pure ones.

The essay of 1918, the first postage stamp of the RSFSR "Hand with a sword, chopping the chain," with a face value of 1 kopeck, which was never released, is estimated at 12.5 thousand dollars.

«Three pearls»

«Три жемчужины» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Postage stamp of the Russian Empire of the 17th edition. It was made in 1908 to replace the postal signs of 1889-1905.

It got its name from three "pearls" (circles) instead of the four, which should have been located on the left and right sides between the frame with the indication of denomination and ornamentation that surrounds the central oval of the emblem.

Consular Poltnik

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Consular" brands are the series of service airmail marks of the RSFSR. In 1922, after the formation of the Russian-German air communications company Deruluft, the first international air line Moscow-Koenigsberg was opened in the RSFSR. Although the aircraft of the company delivered only diplomatic mail, its charter provided for the possibility of sending and private paid mail, paid for when sending from Moscow by Soviet stamps, and when sending from Germany - German.

Stamps were supposed to be used as postal mail for franking service correspondence of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR and other Soviet organizations sent by air mail to Moscow. Since this issue was carried out without agreement with the People's Commissar of the RSFSR, the initiative of the diplomatic mission was not approved in Moscow and, shortly after the first flight with mail arrived in the capital, an order was issued to seize stamps from circulation, and the circulation was requested in Moscow.

"Consular Poltnik" is a stamp of the consular duty with a face value of 50 kopecks with an overprint "R.S.FS. 1200 herm. Marks ". This is one of the rarest postage stamps of the RSFSR, its approximate circulation is 50-75 copies. One such brand was sold in 2008 at the Cherrystone auction for $ 63,250.

"Limonka"

«Лимонка» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Limonka" is a postage stamp of the USSR from the first standard issue, which was issued in 1925. In a bad form it is a fairly rare postage stamp of the USSR. Up to hundreds of copies are known.

In the manufacture of the brand, the perforating machine has become unusable, while the remaining denominations have been printed in full. In order not to disrupt the supply of postage stamps, the government of Goznak decided to send this lot on time, without waiting for the printing of the 15-penny mark. Due to the fact that the circulation of "Limonki" was very small, and this issue was intended for sending to remote regions of the USSR, in which there were very few philatelists, almost all 15-penny brands were used for their intended purpose, that is, they were repaid by mail. The cost of the brand is 15-20 thousand dollars.

"Aspid blue blimp"

«Аспидно-синий дирижабль» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Aspidka" - so philatelists call a rare airmail stamp from the series "Airship construction in the USSR". On it, the artist Vasily Zavyalov portrayed an airship above the globe. The stamp was issued in May 1931 with a face value of 50 kopecks.

According to the project, it should have been a dark brown color. However, part of the circulation - three thousand copies - was printed with black-and-blue (aspidic) paint.

The rarest "Aspida" is in a toothless version. It is known that there are only 24 such brands.

"Be a hero!"

«Будь героем!» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Postage stamp, created based on the photo posters of V. Koretsky and dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, was released on August 12, 1941. It is considered a rarity, as during the war a significant part of the circulation died in the warehouse during one of the bombings of Moscow.

By order of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR, the mark is included in the list of rare postage stamps and blocks that are not subject to exportation (transfer) from the USSR.

"250 years of historic victory in Poltava"

«250 лет исторической Полтавской победы» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Unreleased postage stamp of the USSR in 1959. On the stamp with a face value of 40 kopecks, the captured Swedish troops led by Prime Minister Karl Piper and the field marshals put up flags before Peter I. The circulation of the stamp was already made and ready for release, but at that time diplomatic relations with Sweden intensified. After the visit of Swedish Prime Minister Erlander to the USSR, Khrushchev's return visit to Sweden was planned. On the eve of this meeting, they decided to destroy the circulation, so as not to offend new partners by focusing on such an unpleasant event for them as the defeat in the Battle of Poltava.

Officially, the postage stamp was sold for several minutes, after which the circulation was seized and destroyed. There are 40 marks left. It is known that they cost about 10-20 thousand dollars.

"Flight of peace and friendship"

«Рейс мира и дружбы» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

"Flight of Peace and Friendship" to Denmark, Sweden and Norway ". Mail of the USSR in 1964 4kop. It is a rarity, because the brand was not released, because Khrushchev's planned visit to Sweden never took place.

A copy of the brand, which got to the collectors, was sold in 2008 at the auction "Cherrystone" for $ 28,750.

"The Blue Gymnast"

«Голубая гимнастка» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

The brand, known as the "Blue Gymnast", was released for the 40th anniversary of the Soviet circus. But in circulation she did not go because of disagreements, what year to consider as the year of the basis of the circus: 1920-1921 or 1934. Many years later decided to set the date - 1919. Therefore, the stamp was released only to the 60th anniversary of the circus in 1979. A copy of the unreleased but collectible stamp was sold in 2008 at the Cherrystone auction for $ 13,800.

"Transcarpathian Ukraine"

«Закарпатская Украина» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

A rare postage stamp dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the reunification of Transcarpathian Ukraine with Soviet Ukraine. Mail USSR in 1965 4kop.

A copy of the unreleased but collectible stamp was sold in 2008 at the Cherrystone auction for $ 29,900.

"Study of the polar auroras"

«Изучение полярных сияний» Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

The International Geophysical Year, held from July 1, 1957 to December 31, 1958, provoked a certain philatelic interest in the world. The postal departments of many dozens of states responded to the global scientific action. Over one hundred postage stamps were issued. The USSR Post noted the IGY, releasing two interesting series.

A pair of 40-penny postage stamps of the USSR in 1958. The study of the polar auroras from the series "International Geophysical Year", in a rare version with linear perforations, was auctioned for $ 14,500.

Other

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Also among the philatelic rarities can be noted the dark blue 10-penny mark of the USSR in 1925, which was sold for $ 18,500, the unspoken postage stamp of the USSR with the portrait of Mendeleev from the issue "Scientists of our Motherland" estimated at $ 11,500, as well as a vertical toothless coupler Marks of the USSR in 1937 with a face value of 40 and 50 kopecks from the series issued to the centenary of the death of Pushkin. Its price at the auction was $ 9,500.

"Carton" with an overprint - 766 $ 250

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Cardboard is the philatelic name of the souvenir block (souvenir sheet), which was issued in 500 copies to the First All-Union Philatelic Exhibition in Moscow in 1932 and was sent to invited guests to the exhibition with invitation cards. Its name "Kartonka" was received because it was printed on very heavy paper. On 25 blocks, an overprint was placed on "The best drummer of the All-Russian Society of Philatelists", and on three - also an additional nominal overprint. One of these three nominal blocks (the only surviving one), handed to the Chairman of the Presidium of the Moscow Society of Philatelists E.M. Nurkas and was sold at auction in October 2008 for the specified amount.

Airmail 5 rubles. 1923 - $ 86,250

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

The first series of airmail stamps of the USSR was made in 1923 and included 4 stamps with the same image of a flying Fokker F-111 aircraft of different colors with denominations from 1 to 10 rubles. But the series did not go into circulation, because the air service was suspended for the winter time. Only in the spring of the following year, after the revaluation and overprinting of new face values, the brands appeared in circulation. One sheet five-ruble out of 25 was with a slight difference: the figure "5" was noticeably wider and lower than the rest of the circulation. According to the catalog of Lyapin, less than 50 copies of this rarity have been preserved on white and on yellowish paper. It was this 5 ruble with a "thick" five and was sold in September 2008 for 86 with a quarter of thousands of dollars.

Block "First All-Union Congress of Architects" in 1937 without text - $ 40,250

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

A series of eight brands "Architecture of New Moscow" was put into circulation on June 16, 1937 and was timed to coincide with the opening of the First All-Union Congress of Architects in Moscow. At the same time, an edged block consisting of four 40-penny marks (with the Palace of Soviets project) with the inscription "The First All-Union Congress of Architects was produced with 84 thousand copies. Moscow-1937 "in the fields. At the same time, a small number of blocks appeared without this inscription, and they are very rare indeed. Just such a block without text from the collection of Morozov sold at auction from October 2008 for $ 40,250.

The International Polar Year of 1932 - $ 37,375

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР

Air - postage stamps of the USSR "2nd International Polar Year" with a nominal value of 50 kopecks. And 1 rub. With the image of the map of the Northern Polar Basin centered, the icebreaker and the plane on the left, were produced in 1932 and were intended for the franking of air correspondence along the Franz Josef Land route - Arkhangelsk. The main circulation of 50 kopecks is made with a linear perforation of 12.25. But a small part of the circulation was with a perforation of 10.5. Such a copy also fell into the ranks of philatelic rarities.

A sheet of 25 stamps of the RSFSR of 1922 (imperforated, with an error, 70 rubles) - $ 110,000

Самые редкие и дорогие марки СССР