Confirmed varieties of Soviet Exhibition of Science, Technology and Culture, New York

In 1959, the Soviet Union issued a commemorative series of postage stamps to honor the national exhibition held in New York titled “Exhibition of the Achievements of Soviet Science, Technology and Culture.”

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Exhibition context

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The exhibition opened on June 25 and ran until July 20. The event aimed to showcase the USSR as a modern and progressive socialist state to American audiences, highlighting its successes in science, technology, culture, agriculture, and industry. The exhibits included models of satellites and rockets, atomic power installations, vehicles, agricultural machinery, and consumer goods.

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About the stamp series

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The series features two principal stamps of different denominations that share a thematic design: the exhibition emblem and an architectural motif of a building set against symbolic elements. The first issue was released on June 25, and the second on July 20, including a souvenir block. The graphic design was done by V. Ermakov and V. Klimashin. Each stamp had a large print run to ensure broad circulation.

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Significance and collectible value

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This stamp series became a potent symbol of cultural diplomacy and ideological competition during the Cold War: through the exhibition and philatelic symbolism, the USSR sought to demonstrate its parity or superiority relative to the West in technology and culture. Today, these stamps are prized by collectors not only for their philatelic interest, but also as historical artifacts from an era when postage stamps served as channels of international propaganda and national prestige.

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Postage stamp specifications:

• Design: V. Ermakov, V. Klimashin

• Print: Intaglio

• Raster: Square

• Perforation: Comb 12 : 12½

• Circulation: 3 000 000, 2 000 000, 200 000 (block)

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Confirmed varieties of stamps of Soviet Exhibition of Science, Technology and Culture, New York 20 kop

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1. blue dot next to the 1st "О" in "СОВЕТСКОЙ"

2. dots on the blue font - minor variety

3. spots on the border of yellow light

4. spots on the windows of a building

5. dots on the wall of a building

6. broken "п" in "коп"

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Confirmed varieties of stamps of Soviet Exhibition of Science, Technology and Culture, New York 40 kop

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1. a dot to the left of the Kremlin tower

2. dot in "4"

3. dots next to "Р" in "СССР"

4. ​spot on the yellow light

5. ​streak on the yellow light

6. dot over the plate

7. dot next to the tower

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Confirmed varieties of block of Soviet Exhibition of Science, Technology and Culture, New York Block

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1. broken "ю" in "Нью"

2. connected 2 part of "Й" in "Йорк"