816) Ukraine: Centenary Celebrations of the first postage stamps issued in 1918, commemorated on a new Cupro-Nickel Collector Coin of 5 Hryven issued on 25.09.2018:
Links to other posts on Ukraine on this Blog:
1) 100th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Revolution: A 5 Hryven Nickel-Silver Commemorative Coin issued by the National Bank of Ukraine on 22.03.2017
Links to other posts on Ukraine on this Blog:
1) 100th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Revolution: A 5 Hryven Nickel-Silver Commemorative Coin issued by the National Bank of Ukraine on 22.03.2017
The National Bank of Ukraine has issued on 25.09.2018, new Collector coins which commemorate the Centenary Anniversary of the country's first postage stamps issued in 1918.
The series of postage stamps was issued during the brief period when Ukraine emerged as an independent state after the break-up of the Russian Empire following the abdication of Czar Nicholas II in 1917.
Denominated in "Shagiv" which was the sub-division of Ukraine's current currency, the "Grivna" as the currency was called then), the five stamps had values of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 printed on perforated heavy card stock and issued as currency starting from 18.04.1918.
As the newly independent state was effectively in the middle of the Great War that broke out in 1914, these stamps were used as currency, owing to shortage of coin minting metals. These specially printed stamps included inscribed texts on the Reverse attesting that they would circulate in place of coinage and were prohibited for use as postage stamps.
Nevertheless, with an eventual shortage of the postage stamp version of the stamp issues, the card-board printed versions did eventually appear on some envelopes and entered the postal system.
Finally, a purpose-printed set of postage stamps denominated identically as the currency series with similar designs was issued on 18.07.1918.
The 10 and 20 shagiv stamps which were issued by the Ukranian People's Republic were designed by artist Anton Sereda.
The higher value stamps of 30, 40 and 50 Shagiv were designed by Heorhiy Narbut, who was a master graphic artist and President of the Ukranian Academy of Arts in Kiev.
The Commemorative Coin:
The Obverse of the 5 Griven Cupro-Nickel Coin has a small engraving of the State Emblem of Ukraine, to the right of which is the inscription "UKRAINE 2018".
The design also includes a recreation of the design found on the 30 Shagiv stamp, which is that of an allegorical representation of Ukraine seen as a young female face in a left-facing direction.
Towards the bottom left is the face value of "5 GRIVEN" (mentioned in Ukrainian) engraved in a vertical direction. A commemorative inscription denotes the centenary anniversary of the first issue of Ukrainian stamps in 1918, which is on the centre left.
The Reverse of the 5 Griven Cupro-Nickel Coin includes a vivid colour recreation of the 50 Shagiv stamp, placed in the middle of the coin. The peripheral inscription reads in Ukrainian "FIRST STAMPS OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC" and "100 POKIB" (meaning "100 Years").
The specifications of this Coin are:
Denomination: 5 Griven; Metal Composition: Cupro-nickel; Weight: 16.5 grams; Diameter/Size: 35.0 mm; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated with applied colour; Maximum Mintage: 45,000 pieces; Minted by: The Ukrainian Mint at their facility in Kiev on behalf of the National Bank of Ukraine; Designers: Volodymyr Taran, Alexander Kharuk and Sergey Haruk.
Remarks: The coins are packaged in a coin-card format printed with details about the coin issue.
Nevertheless, with an eventual shortage of the postage stamp version of the stamp issues, the card-board printed versions did eventually appear on some envelopes and entered the postal system.
Finally, a purpose-printed set of postage stamps denominated identically as the currency series with similar designs was issued on 18.07.1918.
The higher value stamps of 30, 40 and 50 Shagiv were designed by Heorhiy Narbut, who was a master graphic artist and President of the Ukranian Academy of Arts in Kiev.
The Commemorative Coin:
The design also includes a recreation of the design found on the 30 Shagiv stamp, which is that of an allegorical representation of Ukraine seen as a young female face in a left-facing direction.
Towards the bottom left is the face value of "5 GRIVEN" (mentioned in Ukrainian) engraved in a vertical direction. A commemorative inscription denotes the centenary anniversary of the first issue of Ukrainian stamps in 1918, which is on the centre left.
The Reverse of the 5 Griven Cupro-Nickel Coin includes a vivid colour recreation of the 50 Shagiv stamp, placed in the middle of the coin. The peripheral inscription reads in Ukrainian "FIRST STAMPS OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC" and "100 POKIB" (meaning "100 Years").
The specifications of this Coin are:
Denomination: 5 Griven; Metal Composition: Cupro-nickel; Weight: 16.5 grams; Diameter/Size: 35.0 mm; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated with applied colour; Maximum Mintage: 45,000 pieces; Minted by: The Ukrainian Mint at their facility in Kiev on behalf of the National Bank of Ukraine; Designers: Volodymyr Taran, Alexander Kharuk and Sergey Haruk.
Remarks: The coins are packaged in a coin-card format printed with details about the coin issue.
