Postage stamps and postal history of Transnistria
Encyclopedia
This is a survey of the postage stamp
s and postal history
of Transnistria
, an unrecognized breakaway territory of Moldova
and the de facto independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
, Tiraspol
was an administrative centre of the Tiraspol Uyezd
located in the Kherson Governorate
. On January 1, 1873, the Tiraspol Zemstvo
began running the official local post
al service. Two Zemstvo stamp
s were issued for this purpose, in 1873 and 1879, that were cancelled with a pen
. Additionally, free, non-denominated official labels were printed in 1875 but they were not postage stamps.
, the territory was occupied by the Romania
n military forces, and the Transnistrian Government
was established. Romania issued special postage stamps for Transnistria in 1941 and 1943, and semi-postals in 1942.
on September 2, 1990, and in June 1992, the postal authorities in Tiraspol, the capital and administrative centre of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, overprint
ed sheets
of two definitive stamp
s of the former Soviet Union. The overprints read 'Тирасполь / 30-VI-92' (Tiraspol / 30-June-92) and two new values, '20 коп.' (20 kopecks) and '28 коп.' (28 kopecks). These provisionals
were only in use from July 3 to July 21, 1992, and were then confiscated and destroyed by Moldavian authorities in Kishinev.
, as 'ПОЧТА ПМР' (POST OF PMR, with PMR standing for Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic).
, as 'ПМР' , although sometimes the Latin
letters 'PMR' are seen instead. There is no consistent practice, with some stamps only inscribed in Cyrillic and others only in Latin.
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s and postal history
Postal history
Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of postage stamps and covers and associated material illustrating historical episodes of postal systems...
of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
, an unrecognized breakaway territory of Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
and the de facto independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
Before independence
Tiraspol Zemstvo stamps
In the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, Tiraspol
Tiraspol
Tiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is the capital and administrative centre of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic . The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River...
was an administrative centre of the Tiraspol Uyezd
Uyezd
Uyezd or uezd was an administrative subdivision of Rus', Muscovy, Russian Empire, and the early Russian SFSR which was in use from the 13th century. Uyezds for most of the history in Russia were a secondary-level of administrative division...
located in the Kherson Governorate
Kherson Governorate
The Kherson Governorate or Government of Kherson was a guberniya, or administrative territorial unit, in the Southern Ukrainian region, between the Dnieper and Dniester Rivers, of the Russian Empire. It was one of three governorates created in 1802 when the Novorossiya guberniya was abolished...
. On January 1, 1873, the Tiraspol Zemstvo
Zemstvo
Zemstvo was a form of local government that was instituted during the great liberal reforms performed in Imperial Russia by Alexander II of Russia. The idea of the zemstvo was elaborated by Nikolay Milyutin, and the first zemstvo laws were put into effect in 1864...
began running the official local post
Local post
A local post is a mail service that operates only within a limited geographical area, typically a city or a single transportation route. Historically, some local posts have been operated by governments, while others, known as private local posts have been for-profit companies...
al service. Two Zemstvo stamp
Zemstvo stamp
A Zemstvo stamp was a Russian local stamp used widely in rural areas from 1865. It was named after the Zemstvo local administrative districts created in 1864. The stamps ceased at about the time of the 1917 Russian revolution.- Background :...
s were issued for this purpose, in 1873 and 1879, that were cancelled with a pen
Pen cancel
thumb|A pen cancel on a Russian [[postage stamp]].In philately, a pen cancel is a cancellation of a postage or revenue stamp by the use of a pen, marker or crayon.- Usage :...
. Additionally, free, non-denominated official labels were printed in 1875 but they were not postage stamps.
Romanian occupation
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the territory was occupied by the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n military forces, and the Transnistrian Government
Transnistria (World War II)
Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian administered territory, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and occupied from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 1944...
was established. Romania issued special postage stamps for Transnistria in 1941 and 1943, and semi-postals in 1942.
Tiraspol provisional stamps
Transnistria declared its independence from MoldovaMoldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
on September 2, 1990, and in June 1992, the postal authorities in Tiraspol, the capital and administrative centre of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, overprint
Overprint
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...
ed sheets
Sheet of stamps
A sheet of stamps or press sheet is a unit of stamps as printed, usually on large sheets of paper based on the size of the printing plate, that are separated into panes that are sold at post offices. Where more than one pane is on a printed sheet they are arranged in a table-like arrangement...
of two definitive stamp
Definitive stamp
A definitive stamp is a postage stamp, that is part of a regular issue of a country's stamps available for sale by the postal service for an extended period of time...
s of the former Soviet Union. The overprints read 'Тирасполь / 30-VI-92' (Tiraspol / 30-June-92) and two new values, '20 коп.' (20 kopecks) and '28 коп.' (28 kopecks). These provisionals
Provisional stamp
Linn's World Stamp Almanac defines a provisional stamp as "a postage stamp issued for temporary use to meet postal demands until new or regular stocks of stamps can be obtained."...
were only in use from July 3 to July 21, 1992, and were then confiscated and destroyed by Moldavian authorities in Kishinev.
First PMR stamps
On November 18, 1993, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (Council) of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic made decision on issuing the first stamps. The first Transnistria stamp appeared on December 31, 1993. Since then it has typically issued between 3 and 5 different series of stamps per year. The region's name is given only in CyrillicCyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
, as 'ПОЧТА ПМР' (POST OF PMR, with PMR standing for Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic).
Validity
The stamps of Transnistria are not recognised outside the country and are valid only for domestic service within Transnistria. International mail and mail to the rest of Moldova requires Moldovian stamps.Bogus PMR stamps
Bogus stamp issues have been a problem in the region for several years, with private persons overprinting stamps of the Soviet Union or printing labels resembling Transnistrian stamps, and selling them to unsuspecting collectors. The bogus stamps usually give the region's name in CyrillicCyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
, as 'ПМР' , although sometimes the Latin
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
letters 'PMR' are seen instead. There is no consistent practice, with some stamps only inscribed in Cyrillic and others only in Latin.