Famine Stamp Issue From Odessa, Ukraine March 4, 1922.

This set of 7 stamps was issued most likely by the local Russian/Soviet government to raise funds for famine relief efforts for the 1921-1923 famine. The stamp issue is not listed in the well known International Scott stamp catalog, but does appear in the German Michel Eastern Europe Catalog. They appear under "Russia" in the Michel Catalog, which does separate the stamps issued by the Soviet Union in a separate section.

Values are listed as Rubles in the following denominations: 250, 500, 750, 1000, 2500, 5000 & 10,000.

(From the Editor: We have been informed on one knowledgable source that this set of Russian stamps supposed to have been issued to help raise funds for the famine in Odessa was in fact issued by an Italian philatelic company called "Compaignia Filatelica Italiana" in 1922 to defraud philatelists. If you have additional information about this set of stamps please let us know.)

Official Ukrainian Famine Stamp Issue, June 1923

These four stamps are entitled: Specter of Death, Taras Shevchenko, Death and Peasant, ande Ukraine Distributiog Bread (allegorical)

The stamps were lithographed by the State Printing Works, Berlin, Germany. These are considered Soviet Stamps that are semi-postal in nature. This famine issue was released in Kharkiv, Moscow, and Petrograd.

The stamps cost more than the actual postage. The extra money paid went to famine relief. This feature is actually stated on each of the stamps. Legitimate postal usage of these stamps exists. The stamps are denominated as follows:
10+10 Karbovanets - Specter of Death
20+20 Karbovanets - Taras Shevchenko
90+30 Karbovanets - Death and Peasant
150+50 Karbovanets - Ukraine Distributing Bread (allegorical)

In addition to the stamps depicted, there also exists an imperforate version as well as a perforate version printed on watermarked paper. These usually sell for approximately between $100. and $200. However, there are known forgeries of the imperforate stamps where the perforations have been trimmed from the lower value stamps in an attempt to sell them at a greatly increased price.

One can sometimes determine if perforation trimming may have occurred by overlaying the suspect impterforate stamp over a perforate version. If the imperforate version fits within the perforations of the perforated version, then it is possible that you are looking at a forgery.

Finally, there also exists a set of these stamps overprinted ZRAZOK (specimen). These are legitimate and generally sell for approximately $50.00 a set.

                (Shows at double size)

20th Anniversary Of The Great Famine Genocide In Ukraine--1953

December 31, 1953. Pidpilna Poshta (underground post) issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the famine in Ukraine. There are four stamps in this series issued in two varieties.

Variety A: Stamps were issued with tete-beche attachments (one of the stamps appears to have a value, the other, of a different color, does not, however, the overall design and wording is the same. It was issued with the following values: 10, 20, 30 & 40 Shahiv.

VarietyB: Same as above but without the attachment. Some of the stamps issued contain some color variations and are probably a mix of variety A and variety B

(Shows at double size)

20th Anniversary Of The Great Famine Genocide In Ukraine----1953

"Six Million Died In Ukraine Of Famine
Artifically Created By Red Moscow 1932-33" November 2, 1953. Commerative non-official stamp Issued by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (YKKA) in New York, USA, as a memorial to the 20th anniversary of the great famine in Ukraine.

25th Anniversary Of The Great Famine Genocide in Ukraine---1958

November 1, 1958. Pidpilna Poshta (underground post) issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the famine in Ukraine. There are four stamps in this series issued in perforate and imperforate varieties.

(Shows at double size)

(Shows at double size)

30th Anniversary Of The Great Famine Genocide In Ukraine----1953

"In Memory Of 7,000,000 VICTIMS of Intentional Famine Arranged By Kremlin 1933 In Ukraine" 1963.
Commerative stamps issued in Detroit, Michigan, USA, in honor of the 7 million who died of famine in Ukraine brought about by Moscow.

(Shows at double size)

35th Anniversary of The Great Famine Genocide In Ukraine - 1968

1968 - "Beware of Communism - 50 Million Victims Of Communist Terror During The
50 Year Existance of the USSR"
1968. Commerative anti-communist non-
official stamp issued in Detroit , Michigan.
This was issued on the 35th anniversary
of the Great Famine In Ukraine.

   40th Anniversary of The Great Famine Genocide In Ukraine - 1973

1973. Commerative non-official stamp issued in London, England to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the famine.

(Shows at double size)