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Friday 15 June 2012

Soviet Ukraine 1921 - I Have to Invent a Word for This Item!



Here is an interesting item: a scarce Ukrainian National Republic formular for sending parcels, used in Sovietised Ukraine in January 1921. It is endorsed "Red Army" in pencil at the top and is being used to send a large package (39 Funt) from MONASTIRISHE KIEV 27 1 21 to Borshevo Voronezh (arrival cancel on reverse 11 3 21). The cost of sending this parcel is shown at the bottom as 97.50 (and this will be roubles rather than Karbovanets). With stamps revalued 100 times, it looks at first sight as if the franking totals 98 roubles. But wait a moment ...

Look at the 3 kopeck imperforate with Kyiv II Trident overprint. This has not been badly cut. It has been cut to approximate a 2 roubles 50 kopecks stamp. The stamp has been sexisected (bisected, trisected, quadrisected... I am not even going to look at the Dictionary to see if a word exists. I have decided that the right word is sexisected :))

Maybe the postal clerk put the unused, sexisect portion into his accounting book to show why he had only received 2 roubles 50 for a 3 rouble stamp. Maybe he used the sexisect on another parcel card which needed a 50 kopeck stamp.... Who knows. But I think the clerk's intention was clear.


Added February 2020: Most of my Ukraine-related Blog posts are now available in full colour book form. To find out more follow the link:

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