Varieties of Persian poet Saadi (Muslih-ud-Din) and 700th anniv. of his book, Gulistan​

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The 1959 USSR stamp “Saadi. Gulistan” is dedicated to the great Persian poet Mūshliḥ al-Dīn Saadi and was issued in honor of the 700th anniversary of his work. On the face of the stamp is a portrait of Saadi next to an open book bearing the title Gulistan, one of his most famous works. The stamp carries the catalogue number 2207 (in some catalogues 2296) and has a denomination of 40 kopecks. It was printed by photogravure, has comb perforation 12×12½, and measures approximately 37 × 26 mm.ч

Its particular value lies in variants — above all unused (MNH / OG) examples, whose pristine condition (intact gum, full perforations, perfect margins) is highly prized by collectors. Blocks or corner pieces (corner sheet pieces) of the stamp often command higher prices than single specimens, especially when the block exhibits uniform design and symmetry. Another rare type consists of stamps exhibiting minor printing defects: e.g. color shift, weak or incomplete printing, perforation flaws, or faint spots in the field. Such errors attract attention as philatelic curiosities, especially if the defect is easily identifiable and does not spoil the overall design. Stamps in uncommon shades (if printed in a slightly different hue) may also carry a premium.

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In assessing value, attention must be paid to the condition of the gum, absence of stains, bends or dirt. Canceled examples with clean, neat date cancellations might interest collectors, but they typically fetch prices far below unused variants and blocks. It is also crucial to verify the authenticity of the perforations and rule out additions (hinges, regumming) or trimming of margins, as these factors often determine a stamp’s real collectible value.

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Postage stamp specification:

• Design: R. Zhitkov

• Print: Intaglio

• Raster: Square

• Perforation: Comb 12 : 12½

• Circulation: 2 000 000 pcs

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Varieties of the stamp of Saadi and Gulistan

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1. spot over "У" in "ГУЛИСТАН"

2. white spot behind the head