Ukraine 1918 Shahiv

 After Ukraine declared its independence on January 22, 1918, artists Antin Sereda and Heorhii Narbut were

assigned to design the first stamps of the newly independent republic.

The first issues were actually ‘money stamps” which were common given the metal coin shortage after the war.

As these are more Numismatic than Philatelic, they will be discussed later.

The printing of this issue began around May 1918 and continued until 1920.

The Shahiv stamps were issued imperforate but perforated copies are not uncommon.

The majority of perforated copies are smooth perf 11, (but rough perf 11.5 is also known), and these are generally considered to be privately perforated.

The postal use of this issue is divided into two periods, July 1918 until 3rd March 1920 and from this date until supplies were exhausted and replaced by the first RSFSR issues in 1921.

Philatelic covers bearing the complete set are quite common

All brands known can be divided into 4 groups:

1. Stamps printed with 100-stamp sales sheets 

2. Stamps found by P. Pavlov which were printed either in blocks of 25 (5x5) or in blocks of 50 pieces (10x5) in a typographical way.

3. Stamps printed in sheets of 60 pieces (10x6), the status of which is still not

defined. In the catalog of Dr. Ceresa, these stamps are declared authentic, because in the work of Yana Bailey writes that these sheets were printed in Vienna by order

of the Ukrainian government due to the Bolshvik incursion.

Due to the military successes of the Bolsheviks, these stamps remained in Vienna and were never sent to the Ukrainian government. 

4. Stamps printed on translucent tracing paper. It is believed that the stamps were printed in 84-stamp sheets (12x7), but it turned out that the 50 value sheet differs from sheets of other denominations.

10Sh

The numerals and letters are noticeably thicker on the original.
The serifs on the 1 are more pointed on the forgery
The details are more prominent on the genuine, particularly on the left side

There are also noticeable differences in the letters...

20 Sh

This forgery has 2 prominent flaws
There is a break in the trident
The right 2 has no white space

The differences in letters...

30Sh

In the forgery;
The shading under the eye is thinner
The neck shading is irregular and blotchy
The background is filled in

A block of forgeries

40Sh

The 40Sh is more deceptive so one needs to look at the letters and details
In the forgery;
The corner backgrounds are filled in
The top letters are shaped differently
The arrow shapes are smaller

Letter differences...

50Sh

Genuine stamp

Forgeries

Private perforations (Fakes)

Doubtful Cancels

Currency Issues

Forgery