Custom Search


USSR Stamps

Airmail Stamps of 1922-1930


Airmail Stamp of 1923 with Inverted Surcharge


The first airmail USSR stamps were issued in November 1922, at the time the RSFSR was transitioning into the USSR.



The RSFSR October Revolution commemorative stamp, shown above, was overprinted with a red airplane on November 8, 1922.  These first airmail stamps were only sold at the Moscow General Post Office.

Only 100,000 of these airmail stamps were produced, and the ones that have survived are probably only a tiny fraction of that number.

The catalog attributes are as follows:

  • 45 R.  (1922 - Sc. #C1) - Green & Black.



The four pictorial airmail USSR stamps shown above were prepared in August 1923, but they were never placed into use.

The common design of these attractive airmail stamps features a Fokker F-111 in flight.

The catalog attributes are as follows:

  • 01 R.  (1923 - Sc. #C2) - Red Brown.
  • 03 R.  (1923 - Sc. #C3) - Deep Blue.
  • 05 R.  (1923 - Sc. #C4) - Green.
  • 10 R.  (1923 - Sc. #C5) - Carmine.



The four pictorial airmail USSR stamps of 1923, shown above, were overprinted and surcharged in Kopecks on May 5, 1924.  These were actually the first airmail stamps of the Soviet Union to have regular usage.

The catalog attributes are as follows:

  • 05 K. on 03 R.  (1924 - Sc. #C6) - Deep Blue.
  • 10 K. on 05 R.  (1924 - Sc. #C7) - Green.
  • 15 K. on 01 R.  (1924 - Sc. #C8) - Red Brown.
  • 20 K. on 10 R.  (1924 - Sc. #C9) - Carmine.

The 10 K. and 20 K. denominations exist with inverted surcharges, however they are very scarce.  The 20 K. denomination is shown at the top of this webpage.



The two pictorial airmail USSR stamps shown above were issued on September 1, 1927 to publicize the First International Air Post Congress at The Hague, which was initiated by the Soviet Union.  The stamps are lithographed, and they are perforated 13 x 12.

The common design features a biplane over a map of the World.

The catalog attributes are as follows:

  • 10 K.  (1927 - Sc. #C10) - Blue & Yellow Brown.
  • 15 K.  (1927 - Sc. #C11) - Deep Red & Olive Green.



The two pictorial airmail USSR stamps shown above were issued on September 10, 1930 to celebrate the round trip flight of the Graf Zeppelin from Friedrichshaven to Moscow.  The stamps are printed on paper that is watermarked diamonds, enclosing four dots - WMK 226.

The common design features the Graf Zeppelin and a depiction of the "Call to Complete the Five-Year Plan in Four Years".

The Airship Graf Zeppelin made a special round trip flight from Friedrichshafen to Moscow on September 9-10, 1930.  The airship landed briefly, where it was greeted by approximately 100,000 people.  These stamps were issued especially to pay the international airmail rate on the return flight to Friedrichshaven.

The catalog attributes, for stamps that are perforated 12 1/2, are as follows:

  • 40 K.  (1930 - Sc. #C12) - Dark Blue & Dull Blue.
  • 80 K.  (1930 - Sc. #C13) - Dark Carmine & Rose.

The catalog attributes, for stamps that are perforated 10 1/2, are as follows:

  • 40 K.  (1930 - Sc. #C12a) - Dark Blue & Dull Blue.
  • 80 K.  (1930 - Sc. #C13a) - Dark Carmine & Rose.

The catalog attributes, for stamps that are imperforate, are as follows:

  • 40 K.  (1930 - Sc. #C12b) - Dark Blue & Dull Blue.
  • 80 K.  (1930 - Sc. #C13b) - Dark Carmine & Rose.





eBay Auction and Store Links

Russia & USSR

The following links feature category-focused affiliated seller listings on various eBay sites worldwide. They may enable visitors to shop for and to buy specific items for the particular collecting subject they've just read about. 

The affiliated eBay seller auction lots provided by eBay, Inc. are not the responsibility of the management of this website.  On high priced material, make sure the lots you are buying are properly authenticated.

Remember that the lots on European eBay sites are priced in EUROS.  Shipping charges may be more, and the lots may take longer to arrive.  Also, make sure the foreign seller ships to your country, before bidding on or buying his lot.






Return to Russian Stamps from
USSR Stamps - Airmail Stamps of 1922-1930






SBI!