Confirmed varieties of USSR stamps Women's International Ice Skating Chapionships, Sverdlovsk

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In 1959, the Women’s World Speed Skating Championships were held in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), a significant event in the history of Soviet sports. To commemorate this championship, the Soviet Union issued a series of two stamps dedicated to the competition. The first stamp depicted a skater at the start, while the second showed her at the finish, emphasizing the dynamics and intensity of the event. The design was created by R. F. Zhitkov, and the print run for each stamp was 1.5 million copies.

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At the Sverdlovsk championship, Soviet skater Tamara Rylova won first place, becoming world champion. Valentina Stetsina took second, and Lidiya Skoblikova finished third. These athletes became symbols of Soviet dominance in speed skating during the 1950s. The stamp issue celebrating the championship highlighted the importance of sporting achievements and promoted winter sports in the USSR. This series became not only a memorable philatelic release but also part of a cultural strategy aimed at reinforcing the Soviet Union’s image as a sports powerhouse.

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Postage stamps specification:

• Design: R. Zhitkov

• Print: Offset

• Perforation: Comb 12½ : 12

• Circulation: 1 500 000 pcs

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Confirmed varieties of Woman Skater, 25 kop

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1. white dot next to "П" in "ПОЧТА"

2. black dot under "К" in "СВЕРДЛОВСК"

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Confirmed varieties of Woman Skater, 40 kop

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1. black dot under the elbow

2. broken 1st "C" in "CCCP"

3. black dot near the skate