The first illustrated stamps of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) were printed in the Constantinople printing press owned by a Mr. Yessayan.
The artist Sarkis Khatchaturian was commissioned to design the stamps.
Yessayan’s printing house in Constantinople was commissioned for the printing of the stamps.
The artist Sarkis Khatchaturian was commissioned to design the stamps.
Yessayan’s printing house in Constantinople was commissioned for the printing of the stamps.
The first stamps reached Yerevan in the end of 1921.
To cover the cost of the printing, Yessayan kept 40% of the stamps and with the right to sell them.
The stamps all have so-called “secret markings”, but it is doubtful these were anti-forgery marks but rather they were probably guide marks or errors that were not removed.
To cover the cost of the printing, Yessayan kept 40% of the stamps and with the right to sell them.
The stamps all have so-called “secret markings”, but it is doubtful these were anti-forgery marks but rather they were probably guide marks or errors that were not removed.
Printing
These stamps were printed using lithograph technology on white or yellow paper with white or yellow glue.
The quality of the printing depended on the fineness of the engraving and the oil content of the paint. Normal paints produce fine engravings, whereas oily paints produced smudged engraved lines.
There are trial printings using black and blue prints, with or without glue, on plain paper. The primary stamps are printed on chalk paper.
All of the 16 stamps are printed in one color, except for the 25,000 ruble stamp which is printed in two colors.
All of them have very different color tones.
Originals, Reprints & Forgeries
Online auctions appear to be over 60% forgeries/reprints for singles but 90% plus for blocks or multiples.
There are at least 3 “family” groups of forged stamps but I do not have enough specific details on all of them.
Each one has particular characteristics.
There is some speculation that one of the families and possibly the better quality one may have been a Soviet government production, circa 1935 (classified as a “Reprint”) to bring in extra revenues. I use the word reprint in this article but they probably should be considered as forgeries as no Armenian approval was given.
Overall, the forgeries and reprint are deceptive and due to printing and plate varieties, sometimes difficult to determine.
These stamps were printed using lithograph technology on white or yellow paper with white or yellow glue.
The quality of the printing depended on the fineness of the engraving and the oil content of the paint. Normal paints produce fine engravings, whereas oily paints produced smudged engraved lines.
There are trial printings using black and blue prints, with or without glue, on plain paper. The primary stamps are printed on chalk paper.
All of the 16 stamps are printed in one color, except for the 25,000 ruble stamp which is printed in two colors.
All of them have very different color tones.
Originals, Reprints & Forgeries
Online auctions appear to be over 60% forgeries/reprints for singles but 90% plus for blocks or multiples.
There are at least 3 “family” groups of forged stamps but I do not have enough specific details on all of them.
Each one has particular characteristics.
There is some speculation that one of the families and possibly the better quality one may have been a Soviet government production, circa 1935 (classified as a “Reprint”) to bring in extra revenues. I use the word reprint in this article but they probably should be considered as forgeries as no Armenian approval was given.
Overall, the forgeries and reprint are deceptive and due to printing and plate varieties, sometimes difficult to determine.
What to look for in Genuine Stamps
1R Hammer /Sickle & stalks of grain. 21 x 26 mm
- 270 stamps per sheet divided into groups of 135 stamps (15 x 9)
- Olive green color.
- Perforated and lmperforate
1. Small protrusion is a key “secret mark”. This may be hard to see on later printings
2. Background lines are even mostly complete
3. The hammer & sickle are well defined with even lines
4.The grain is well outlined
5. The tip is darkened and there is the faint outline of a star above it
2R Stylized creature. 32 x 22 mm
- 220 stamps per sheet divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)
- Two colors: olive gray (perf and imperf)
- Black green (imperf only)
- The genuine has 2 “secret marks” small extensions of the top right and bottom left frame lines
3R Hammer and sickle under a shining star. 29 x 21.5 mm
- 220 stamps per sheet divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)
- Two colors: carmine (perf and imperf) pink (perf and imperf)
- Secret markings: the frame lines extend at all corners - some later prints may not be clear in all corners
- On the left side between the 2 inner frame lines there is a dash mark
- The horizontal background lines do not touch the star rays on the right side
5R Panorama of Ani. 31 x 22.5 mm
- 220 stamps per sheet, divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)
- Brown: perf and imperf.
- Secret markings: short bottom horizontal line runs long on the left side
25R Image on the bas relief on the wall of the Akhtamar Monastery 30 x 22.5 mm.
- 220 stamps per sheet, divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)
- Greenish gray: perf and imperf.
- Secret markings: the left vertical line runs long on the bottom, the internal horizontal line runs long on the right side
Some stamps are marked with either one of these two variations, while others have both.
All the stamps have the bleeding of the bottom internal ornament in 2 places.
50R Red Army soldier. 25.5 x 36.5 mm.
- 156 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 78 (13 x 6)
- Red: perf and imperf.
Secret marking: there is generally a break in the top right frame at 1 and a sight protrusion at 2
3. There are lines inside the hilt of the bayonet
4. The helmet has a well defined u shaped bill and a clear star - a common issue with the forgeries
5. A sharp outline of the clouds is mentioned by some collectors as a genuine but this is false as the forgeries typically have greater definition in the cloud outlines
100R Type A. 34.5 x 23 mm
1. The key feature of the genuine is the rounded top, it is flat in forgeries
2. vertical and horizontal lines are broken, producing blank spots.
3. In many of the stamps both internal and external lines on the bottom run long.
4. The last is attached to the vertical frame, the fakes leave a 0.3 - 0.4 mm space between the letter and frame.
5. In the original the is followed by a dot, which is not found on the forgeries.
6. In the bottom writing the first letter touches the external horizontal line because they have a tail on the bottom (the forgeries do not have the tail).
- Brownish yellow: perf and imperf.
Type B. 34.5 x 23 mm
- vertical and horizontal lines are not broken.
- Traits are the same as Type A except the lines which run long do so by 0.3 - 0.4 mm.
- Dark orange/filled background: imperf only.
250R Hammer and sickle in a five tipped star - 20.5 x 25 mm.
- 288 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 144 (16 x 9)
- Two primary colors:
Dark violet gray: imperf only - early rare printing
Dark blue: perf and imperf.- common variety
1. The top left frame corner is generally broken
2. The ornamental line above the letter is broken, as a result of which there is a lighted spot.
3. The internal ornament on the left bottom extends to the vertical line.
500R Peasant with sickle, background Mt. Aragats. 37.5 x 26 mm.
- 162 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 81 tetebeche (9 x 9).
- Two primary colors:
Purple brown: perf and imperf.- most common
Rose Lilac: imperf. - very scarce
1. Corner if often broken
2. the top left, white border around the 500 is closed on the right side.
3. There is a 1.5 mm mark above the top right corner.
4. An appendage can often be found
1000R Fisherman with net on the shore of Lake Sevan. 22 x 37 mm.
- 180 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 90 tete-beche (15 x 6)
- Yellowish grey: perf and imperf.
- Secret markings: line above the price on the top right corner does not touch the frame and is 0.1 - 0.2 mm away.
2000R The Yerevan Post and Telegraph Office. 39.5 mm x 25 mm.
- 162 stamps per sheet, with 2 groups of 81 (9 x 9)
- Dark yellow: perf and imperf.
- Secret markings: the top right ornament extends beyond the frame. This may not always be clear and may appear in some forgeries.
A key to look for is windows and the details of the far right building
This value poses some problems
1. The color makes finding forgeries difficult
2. Some forgeries have some appearance of being genuine
5000R The ruins of the Ani citadel. 27.5 x 37.5 mm.
- Approx. 144 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 72 (12 x 6).
- Brown: perf and imperf.
- Secret markings: the second line on the left frame runs long.
10000R Mother spinning with child. 23 x 35.5 mm.
- Approx. 210 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 105 (15 x 7)
- Reddish brown: perf and imperf.
- Secret markings:
1. bottom right ornament loop is marked with a horizontal line.
2. Horizontal line between frames
3. Line extends to curved frame line
15000R Type I: Arakelotz Church on Sevan Island, built in 87-+ AD.
- Two lithographic types: both have 128 stamps per sheet. 2 groups of 64 (8 x 8)
Type I: - Horizontal lines adorn the first hill on the left side and the soil is adorned with horizontal lines.
- sizes - 41.2 x 28.3 mm, 41.5 x 28 mm, 41.5 x 28.3 mm, 41.7 x 28.5 mm.
- Two colors:
Black-blue: perf and imperf. Indigo: perf and imperf
Type II: - Lines on the lake and left hand hill are broken and foreground soil has criss-cross lines.
- 41.2 x 28.5 mm.
- Black-blue: perf and imperf.
Secret markings for both variations:
3.88 - 5 mm from the right comer is a slanted line measuring 1.2 mm.
Right vertical line runs long on the top by 0.4 mm.
20000R Image of fantastic bird from a relief on the wall of the Akhtamar Monastery.
- Sizes: 42.8 x 26.5 mm, 43 x 26.5 mm, 43.3 x 26.8 mm.
- 144 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 72 (8 x 9).
- Two colors:
Red lilac: perf and imperf, Brown lilac: perf and imperf.
Secret markings:
The bottom horizontal line does not meet the frame on the right side and there is a space of 0.1 - 0.2 mm.
The broken line above it is not a consistent factor
Frame extensions such as the top right do show up but again are not consistent
In most of the genuine samples there is a color dot in the last 0 of the 20000 but it is also found in reprints and one forgery type but not the other forgery type.
25000R Peasant tilling the soil with Mt. Ararat in the background.
- Sizes: 45.2 mm, 45.5 mm, 45.7 mm, height 27.5 mm.
- 128 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 64 (8 x 8)
- Two colors:
Blue: perf and imperf, Lilac brown: perf and imperf.
1. Secret markings: from the partially shown bull there is
a line which extends to the right frame by 0.4 - 0.5 mm.
2. The curls turns in on itself slightly
3. The dash and dot show up on all clear specimens
Forgeries and Reprints
The majority found online are either of these.
The series was overprinted with new values and forgeries of these are very plentiful.
Samples of these will be added at a later date, the information above should be the main assist.
If you have issues with overprints, a forgery base stamp will have a fake overprint
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