Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 2

RUSSIA Eagle issues 1858-1922

Return To Catalogue - Russia overview - Eagle issues, large sizes

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: .

For various overprints on these issues, click here.

1858 Arms of Russia, double headed eagle, imperforated

Typical cancel With cancel

(Reduced size)

  10 k brown and blue

This stamp has a very peculiar watermark consisting of a large white '1' (it was applied using thickened paper). Forgeries exist, made from the perforated stamps issued later, by cutting the perforation and/or imitating the watermark. The imitation of the watermark has been done in several ways (source: The Sowjet Philatelist'):
1) through applying fat at the backside of the stamp (except for the number of the watermark),
2) though applying other dark substances at the backside of the stamp (even milk seems to have been used!),
3) adding a layer of paper at the backside pretending to be the watermark (dangerous on letters).
4) Embossing of the watermark
Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
10 k RRR R Cancelled with pencil mark (most usual) or ordinary cancel

1858 Arms of Russia, double headed eagle, perforated

10 k brown and blue 10 k brown and blue, straight value label

  7 k grey and red (straight value label, 1879)
  8 k grey and red (straight value label, 1875)
  10 k brown and blue (curved value label)
  10 k brown and blue (straight value label, 1875)
  20 k blue and orange (curved value label)
  20 k blue and orange (straight value label, 1875)
  30 k red and green (curved value label)

A similar stamp with inscription 'ZA LOT KOP 10' was issued for Poland in 1860.
Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
With watermark 'Number', perforated 14 1/2 (1858)
10 k RR *** Watermark '1', curved value label
20 k RRR RR Watermark '2', curved value label
30 k RRR RR Watermark '3'
No watermark, perforated 12 1/2 (1858)
10 k *** * Curved value label
20 k *** *** Curved value label
30 k R ***
No watermark, perforated 14 1/2 (1865)
10 k *** * Curved value label
20 k R ** Curved value label
30 k R **
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1866)
Horizontally or vertically laid paper
7 k * c 1879, exists with fiscal watermark 'Hexagons': RR (issued in Perm)
8 k * c 1875
10 k *** c Curved value label
10 k *** * Straight value label (1875), horizontally laid paper only
20 k *** ** Curved value label
20 k *** * Straight value label (1875), horizontally laid paper only
30 k R ***

The first stamps have a very peculiar watermark consisting of a large white number (it was applied using thickened paper). Forgeries exist, made from the unwatermarked stamps of the later issues. The imitation of the watermark has been done in several ways (source: The Sowjet Philatelist'):
1) through applying fat at the backside of the stamp (except for the number of the watermark),
2) though applying other dark substances at the backside of the stamp (even milk seems to have been used!),
3) adding a layer of paper at the backside pretending to be the watermark (dangerous on letters).
4) Embossing of the watermark

Cancels:

(Nr 1 in rectangles and Nr 1 in octogonals, numeral cancels)

1863 Local issue for St. Petersburg

  5 k black and blue

This stamp has perforation 12 1/2. This stamp was intended to be used in St.Petersburg and Moscow, but is also known to be used in other cities.
Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
5 k *** R

1864 Double headed eagle

Black on coloured background

5 k lilac and black

  1 k yellow and black
  2 k red and black (1875)
  3 k green and black
  5 k lilac and black

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
No watermark, perforated 14 1/2 (1865)
1 k	R	**
3 k	***	***
5 k	R	***
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1866) Horizontally or vertically laid paper
1 k	c	c
2 k	*	c	1875
3 k	*	c	Exists with the underprint of the 5 k value: ***
5 k	*	c

One colour only (1883) without thunderbolts below the eagle

2 k green 3 k red

  1 k yellow
  2 k green
  3 k red
  5 k lilac
  7 k blue

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1883)
1 k	c	vc
2 k	c	c	Shades of green
3 k	*	c
5 k	*	c
7 k	*	vc

One colour only (1889) with small thunderbolts below the eagle

  1 k yellow
  2 k green
  3 k red
  5 k lilac
  7 k blue

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1889) Horizontally or vertically laid paper
1 k	c	vc
2 k	c	vc
3 k	c	vc
5 k	c	vc
7 k	c	vc

The thunderbolts crossing the posthorns symbolise the telegraph department: the stamps with thunderbolts could also be used for telegraphic purposes.

Some postcards and envelopes in the same design have been issued, example:

I've been told that the next stamp is a postal forgery with no watermark:

(Postal forgery)

Another postal forgery:

(This postal forgery is also listed in 'Postal Forgeries of the World' by H.G.L. Fletcher)

The above postal forgery has the lettering done very badly, for example the 'VII' is slanting. There is a larger space between 'CEMb' and 'KOP'. There are many more differences, for example the feathers of the eagle are different (more feathers than in the genuine stamps). Also note the very fuzzy area at the bottom of the crown and just below it. The outer frameline is done very badly and is broken in several places (the spots where it is broken seems to be different for each forgery).

(This looks like a forgery?)

These stamps with small circles added in the design or with value in 'PEN' were issued for Finland.

1883 New design

Without thunderbolts below the eagle

35 k lilac and green

  14 k blue and red
  35 k lilac and green
  70 k brown and orange

A surcharged stamp '7' on 14 k should have been issued in the Causasus. I have never seen this stamp, it is very rare (bogus?).
Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1883)
14 k * c
35 k * *
70 k ** *

With thunderbolts below the eagle

  14 k blue and red (1889)
  15 k lilac and blue (1905)
  25 k green and violet (1905)
  35 k lilac and green (1889)
  70 k brown and orange (1904)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1889) Horizontally or vertically laid paper
14 k	c	vc
15 k	*	c	1905
25 k	*	c	1905
35 k	*	c
70 k	**	c
With varnished 'Lozenges' pattern on the front (1909)
14 k	c	c
15 k	c	vc
25 k	c	vc
35 k	c	vc
70 k	c	vc

These stamps with small circles added in the design or with value in 'PEN' or 'MARKKA' were issued for Finland.

Imperforated (1915, with thunderbolts)

  15 k lilac and blue
  25 k green and violet
  35 k brown and green
  70 k brown and red

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
With varnished 'Lozenges' pattern on the front
15 k	vc	c
25 k	c	*
35 k	c	c
70 k	c	*

Surcharged (perforated, with thunderbolts, 1916)

  'k20k' on 14 k blue and red

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
With varnished 'Lozenges' pattern on the front
20 k on 14 k	c	c

1889 Double headed eagle in an octogonal

Perforated

20 k blue and red 50 k brown and green

  4 k red
  10 k blue
  20 k blue and red
  50 k lilac and green

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1889) Horizontally or vertically laid paper
4 k	c	vc
10 k	c	vc
20 k	*	vc
50 k	**	c

Imperforate (1915)

  20 k blue and red
  50 k lilac and green

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Wavy lines', perforated 14 1/2 (1889) Horizontally or vertically laid paper
20 k	c	*
50 k	c	c

1909 New designs with double headed eagle

Perforated

  1 k yellow
  2 k green
  3 k red
  4 k red (slightly different design)
  5 k lilac
  7 k blue
  10 k blue (design as 4 k)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
With varnished 'Lozenges' pattern on the front, perforation 14 1/2
1 k	vc	vc
2 k	vc	vc
3 k	vc	vc
4 k	c	vc
5 k	vc	vc
7 k	c	vc
10 k	c	vc

Imperforate (1915)

  1 k yellow
  2 k green
  3 k red
  4 k red
  5 k lilac
  10 k blue

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 k	vc	vc
2 k	vc	vc
3 k	vc	vc
4 k	c	c
5 k	vc	vc
10 k	*	*

Surcharged (1916, perforated)

  'kop 10 kop' on 7 k blue

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
10 k on 7 k	c	c

The imperforate 2 k and 5 k stamps were rouletted in Georgia (so-called Tiflis issue):

(Locally perforated stamp of Tiflis)

Postal forgery:

(I've been told that this is a postal forgery made in 1909 of the 7k blue, printed on
thin paper with varnish lines)

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer

Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 2