Postage stamps and postal history of Armenia
Encyclopedia
The postage stamps and postal history of Armenia describes the history of postage stamp
s and postal systems in Armenia
. Czarist Russia
n postmarks and stamps were in used in the territory of Armenia from 1858. The early postmarks were composed of dots in different shapes. Dated postmarks with city names soon followed. Many counterfeit postmarks are known. From 1909 until 1918 a few Russian stamps were overprinted identifying the Armenian Post. The Armenian letters H & P are intertwined, representing the initials of hai post, the Armenian Post Office.
was founded on May 28, 1918, but stamps were first issued in 1919 overprinted on Russia
. In 1919 Arshak Fetvadjian
was commissioned to design and supervise production of stamps for the new republic. Ten stamps were designed in different denominations and printed in Paris
. Due to the occupation of Armenia they were never delivered and few were printed, so no genuine uses are known and many forged stamps are recorded. The stamps were sold to stamp collectors
and dealers in Paris during 1924 and Hovanesian suggests that the Armenian government in exile (Dashnak Party) did this because they needed money to finance their activities,.
Between 1922 and 1991 Armenia was initially part of the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic which officially became the Armenian SSR in 1936. From 1922 the country issued it own definitive
s; and from 1923 used overprinted Russian stamps, and as a constituent of the Transcaucasian Federation, that specifically produced 15 stamps of their own, used the federation stamps though they were only in use until 1924. These stamps are known both perforated
and imperforate and the 40,000 Rs and 75,000 Rs stamps were also surcharged with an overprint 700,000 Rs. From 1924, upon a decree from the central government of the USSR, only regular Soviet Union issued stamps were in use until November 1991. During this period several stamps with Armenian nationalistic and ethnic topics were issued by the central government, such as a 1950 set of three stamps to commemorate
the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Soviet Armenian Republic, views of Erevan with Mount Ararat in 1960, and Armenian national costume
s in 1961 and notable Armenian personalities.
Following the end of the Cold War
and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Armenia became an independent state on September 21, 1991 though the first stamps, a se-tenant trio, were issued on April 28, 1992 to commemorate Independence Day
. On July 26, another set of four stamps was issued for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games
before the first new definitives
appeared on August 25 of the same year. Other definitives depict such topics as, religious artefacts, landscapes, David of Sasun
and the 1993 International Philatelic Exhibition.
The first stamps to be issued in the new Armenian currency, the dram
, that was introduced to replace the rouble used for the previous issues since independence, appeared on August 4, 1994 illustrating treasures of Etchmiadzin. Notable people stamps were issued for Levon Shant
and Yervand Otian in 1994 along with four new definitives and Christianity
themed stamps.
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s and postal systems in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. Czarist Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n postmarks and stamps were in used in the territory of Armenia from 1858. The early postmarks were composed of dots in different shapes. Dated postmarks with city names soon followed. Many counterfeit postmarks are known. From 1909 until 1918 a few Russian stamps were overprinted identifying the Armenian Post. The Armenian letters H & P are intertwined, representing the initials of hai post, the Armenian Post Office.
Democratic Republic of Armenia
The Democratic Republic of ArmeniaDemocratic Republic of Armenia
The Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian state...
was founded on May 28, 1918, but stamps were first issued in 1919 overprinted on Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In 1919 Arshak Fetvadjian
Arshak Fetvadjian
Arshak Abrahmi Fetvadjian was an Armenian artist, painter and designer. He is best known for his watercolor paintings of the architectural monuments of the medieval Armenian city of Ani, and for designing the currency and postage stamps of the first Republic of Armenia...
was commissioned to design and supervise production of stamps for the new republic. Ten stamps were designed in different denominations and printed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Due to the occupation of Armenia they were never delivered and few were printed, so no genuine uses are known and many forged stamps are recorded. The stamps were sold to stamp collectors
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
and dealers in Paris during 1924 and Hovanesian suggests that the Armenian government in exile (Dashnak Party) did this because they needed money to finance their activities,.
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
Definitive
Definitive may refer to:* Definitive , an American music television series* Definitive stamp, a postage stamp that is part of a regular issue of a country's stamps available for sale by the postal service...
s; and from 1923 used overprinted Russian stamps, and as a constituent of the Transcaucasian Federation, that specifically produced 15 stamps of their own, used the federation stamps though they were only in use until 1924. These stamps are known both perforated
Perforation
A perforation is a small hole in a thin material or web. There is usually more than one perforation in an organized fashion, where all of the holes are called a perforation...
and imperforate and the 40,000 Rs and 75,000 Rs stamps were also surcharged with an overprint 700,000 Rs. From 1924, upon a decree from the central government of the USSR, only regular Soviet Union issued stamps were in use until November 1991. During this period several stamps with Armenian nationalistic and ethnic topics were issued by the central government, such as a 1950 set of three stamps to commemorate
Commemorative stamp
A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp, often issued on a significant date such as an anniversary, to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. The subject of the commemorative stamp is usually spelled out in print, unlike definitive stamps which normally depict the subject along with the...
the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Soviet Armenian Republic, views of Erevan with Mount Ararat in 1960, and Armenian national costume
National costume
Folk costume expresses an identity through costume which usually to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status...
s in 1961 and notable Armenian personalities.
Post-Soviet independence
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Armenia became an independent state on September 21, 1991 though the first stamps, a se-tenant trio, were issued on April 28, 1992 to commemorate Independence Day
Independence Day
An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another nation or state, and more rarely after the end of a military occupation...
. On July 26, another set of four stamps was issued for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
before the first new definitives
Definitive stamp
A definitive stamp is a postage stamp, that is part of a regular issue of a country's stamps available for sale by the postal service for an extended period of time...
appeared on August 25 of the same year. Other definitives depict such topics as, religious artefacts, landscapes, David of Sasun
David of Sasun
David of Sasun or David of Sassoun is an Armenian epic hero from the Daredevils of Sassoun who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia.The Sasuntsi Davit is an Armenian national epic poem recounting David's exploits...
and the 1993 International Philatelic Exhibition.
The first stamps to be issued in the new Armenian currency, the dram
Armenian dram
The dram is the monetary unit of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. It is subdivided into 100 luma . The word "dram" translates into English as "money" and is cognate with the Greek drachma...
, that was introduced to replace the rouble used for the previous issues since independence, appeared on August 4, 1994 illustrating treasures of Etchmiadzin. Notable people stamps were issued for Levon Shant
Levon Shant
Levon Shant , was an Armenian playwright, novelist, poet, and founder of the Hamazkayin National Cultural Foundation.- Biography :He was a life-long member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and is the namesake of the ARF's Shant Student Association.Attended Armenian school at Scutari until...
and Yervand Otian in 1994 along with four new definitives and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
themed stamps.
External links
- Armenian stamps 1920–1922
- Armenian stamps post–1991
- Encyclopaedia of Postal History
- HayPost Armenian postal operator
- Stamp Issuing Entities Of The World Linn's Stamp NewsLinn's Stamp NewsLinn's Stamp News an American publication, is the largest weekly newspaper for stamp collectors, with a paid circulation of just over 46,000 Circulation peaked at almost 92,000 in 1978 and has declined ever since because fewer new collectors are subscribing to replace those who subscribed in the...