BOOK NOTE: Authoritative volume focuses on independent Ukraine's provisional stamps (04/02/00)

BOOK NOTE: Authoritative volume focuses on independent Ukraine's provisional stamps

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - When the USSR dissolved at the end of 1991, Ukrainian postal authorities - left only with Soviet stamps and postal forms - were forced to create a new, independent postal system almost overnight. However, it took a number of years to eliminate all vestiges of the former system, to prepare new Ukrainian stamps and postal materials, and to distribute them in sufficient quantities to the thousands of post offices throughout the country.

In the meantime, the local postal districts were left to fend for themselves when it came to creating postage: they were able to come up with numerous ingenious methods to indicate that postage had been paid.

Perhaps the most interesting, and certainly the most collectible, were temporary provisional postage stamps that were used for only short periods of time (after Soviet stamp supplies had run out and until new Ukrainian issues arrived). Not surprisingly, it has been very difficult to document all of these locally produced postal issues, some of which were in use for only a few days. Thanks to the heroic efforts of one man, however, this mission has been accomplished.

The philatelic publishing house Ukrainian Philatelic Resources has announced that the English translation of Hryhoriy Lobko's "The Provisional Postage Stamps of Ukraine 1992-1995" is now complete. This authoritative volume, translated by Andrew O. Martyniuk, is the second edition of Mr. Lobko's groundbreaking study, first published in 1996 in Ukrainian. Totally revised and expanded, it contains many new provisional stamps discovered over the past few years.

Listed in this comprehensive volume, printed in a 8 1/2-inch-by-11 format of 272 pages, accompanied by over 920 detailed illustrations, are all of those provisionals that had indisputable postal use during the three and a half years these stamps were used in different parts of Ukraine.

Prices, both mint and used, are listed for most of these items in U.S. dollars. Also included are cash register tapes and post office forms that at various times and in various locales served as provisional postage. In addition, the author lists "TP" (taxe perque - charge collected) imprints on pieces of paper. These, too, functioned as provisional stamps. Rounding out the catalogue are extensive tables of postal rates covering the entire period and detailed information on how to distinguish forgeries from genuine issues.

Mr. Lobko meticulously researched the provisionals listed in his catalogue by traveling to numerous local post offices throughout Ukraine and interviewing the postal employees who manned the post offices during this turbulent transition in Ukrainian history. Scrutinizing actual mail bearing provisional stamps buttressed this effort and also allowed him to distinguish among those provisionals actually used on mail in Ukraine and those sold primarily to collectors - so- called philatelic issues. Trial issues, both approved and not approved for further printing, are also detailed in a separate section of this catalogue.

Although the first edition has been available in limited quantities to collectors outside Ukraine, the fact that it was available only in the Ukrainian language limited its usefulness to non-Ukrainian- speaking collectors. Much of the information on forgeries, printing techniques, etc., was simply inaccessible. The English edition addresses this issue.

Additionally, stamps of the former Soviet Union that were overprinted for provisional use in Ukraine are now identified by their Scott Postage Stamp Catalogue numbers, further increasing the utility of this authoritative and encyclopedic work to North American collectors.

The proliferation of fantasies and forgeries of provisional stamps, many described in philatelic publications, has enabled these "issues" to acquire a certain amount of legitimacy. Unfortunately, private speculators and entrepreneurs have profited from this misrepresentation to the detriment of philatelists. This catalogue edition, which will only appear in English, will serve as the definitive reference work for distinguishing legitimate provisionals from forgeries and other fantasies.

"The Provisional Postage Stamps of Ukraine 1992-1995" is available for $32 (postage included) for delivery in the United States; $35 for Canada and abroad. Orders may be sent to: Ukrainian Philatelic Resources, P.O. Box 3, Springfield, VA 22150.

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