Confirmed varieties of Landing of the Soviet rocket on the Moon

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In 1959, the USSR issued a small series of postage stamps dedicated to a major milestone in its space program — the launch of the Luna-2 interplanetary probe, which became the first spacecraft in history to reach the surface of the Moon. In contemporary Soviet publications, the spacecraft was often described as the “second Soviet space rocket”, as it was launched on a direct course toward the Moon without first entering Earth orbit.

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The stamps in the series feature imagery that highlights this historic achievement:

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• Diagrams of the rocket’s flight trajectory toward the Moon.

• Depictions of Earth and the Moon with the Soviet emblematic motifs.

• The Soviet pennant symbolically planted on the lunar surface upon impact.

• An overall design reflecting the optimism and technological pride of the late 1950s USSR.

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This two-stamp series formed part of the Soviet Union’s broader efforts to showcase its space achievements globally, bolstering national prestige amid the height of the space race.

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Confirmed varieties of stamps of Landing of the Soviet rocket on the Moon. Kremlin and diagram showing rocket and positions of Moon and Earth

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1. spot between "ОС" in "ДОСТИГЛА" #7

2. dot under "П" in "ПОЛОЖЕНИЕ" #25

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Confirmed varieties of stamps of Landing of the Soviet rocket on the Moon. Moon, Earth and path of rocket

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1. deformed from above "4" in face value #1

2. streak on "A" in "ПОЧТА" #6

3. dot next to "Л" in "ЛУНЫ" #19

4. dot on the frame over "НИ" in "ДОСТИЖЕНИЯ" #21

5. streak under the orbit #23

6. dot over 2nd "И" in "ДОСТИЖЕНИЯ" #24

7. dot after "СОВЕТСКОЙ" #24