How to Identify Russian Stamps
Philately, or stamp collecting, can be a fun and rewarding hobby. Every stamp has a story behind it, and discovering that story is the challenge that makes philately interesting. Collectors tend to organize stamps in a variety of different ways, but the first task is usually determining the country of origin. Many times, the country name is clearly visible, but when it is not, other clues are available to help with identification. For Russian stamps, the country name is usually the best identifier, but not the only one.
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Instructions
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Locate the country name. This will most often be on the border of the stamp and near the value. The name is inscribed in both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. The Latin alphabet form is "Rossija." Prior to 1992, when Russia was part of the USSR, the country of origin inscription was "CCCP."
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Identify the currency used for the stamp's valuation. This is usually located just after the value numerals and will most likely be abbreviated. Russians stamp are valued in rubles, so the inscription will be "P" or "PYb," which are the Cyrillic abbreviations for rubles. Older stamps, especially from the USSR era, use the kopek (K) rather than the ruble for stamp valuation. One ruble is equal to 100 kopeks.
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Identify the image on the stamp. Like most countries, Russia commemorates great achievements and historical events on postage stamps. Most Russian stamps depict significant Russian personalities, events, locations or achievements. For example, a 1957 CCCP stamp depicts the launch of Sputnik and a 1999 "Rossija" stamp commemorates poet Alexander Pushkin.
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Tips & Warnings
Using the image alone to identify the stamp can be unreliable. For instance, one set of Russian stamps commemorates the novels of American author James Fenimore Cooper.
