2017-01-30 Mon

Russian stamps that were used as revenues, fees, propaganda etc were offered at an auction by Raritan Stamps on 9th and 10th December 2016 at Dayton. An album with a set of Russian bicoloured playing-card and tobacco license stamps from the 1890s was one of the highlights. One of them was an overprinted “Specimen” and the entire lot was sold for $747.50.

One of the only 14 surviving 20k 1866 Russian telegraph stamp with an octagonal design featuring the words “Telegraph/20 kopecks 20” was also offered. The stamp had a small problem on its printing plate due to which the shading is missing on the top right corner. This unique stamp sold for $28,750.

The telegram service was a government monopoly in many countries which made used of special telegram stamps. The auction also offered World War II stamps of displaced persons and prisoner-of-war camps. Exiled Polish officers made a special troop called as the Second Corps who fought hard in Italy. They issued many stamps and souvenir sheets for philatelic reasons.

One of the souvenir sheets was printed in a wrong colour: rose red. Another 1946 stamp features 2 soldiers over a map of prewar Poland and was sold for $690. A collection of 82 Polish Corps stamps, seven souvenir sheets and three covers, including proofs and unlisted varieties was sold for $2,530.