posted 02-11-2024 07:58 AM               

Space Cover 740: Vostok 1

Above is a USSR Kniga first day cover (FDC) for Russia (Scott no. 2463 and 2464 [perforated]) commemorating the flight of Vostok 1, the world's first human spaceflight, on April 12, 1961. It carries a special Moscow postmark for the first day, dated April 12, 1961, but was actually postmarked April 13 or 14 when the stamps first became available. Number 2463 is the 3 kopeck stamp picturing Gagarin. Number 2464 is the 6 kopeck stamp showing a rocket arching over the Kremlin with a light blue label printed se-tenant carrying a propaganda slogan from Premier Khruschev.

The cachet is the Kniga red Sputnik 3 cartoon (top) denoting a FDC, with the red globe and rocket below, used for a number of issues between April,1961 and November, 1964. For more information on these (and all space-related Kniga FDCs), I'd highly recommend Jim Reichman's "Kniga First Day Covers with Space Symbolics, Philatelic Study Report 2007-1 (Updated)."

As most of you already know, Vostok 1 launched the first human into space, Yuri Gagarin, on April 12, 1961. He orbited the Earth once and landed back in the USSR, taking the world by surprise. His launch site, at that time, was not identified by the Russians until several years later. So if you see an April 12, 1961 cover postmarked at his Baikonur (also known as Tyuratam) launch site, be aware that it got backdated several years later.

So, how to get covers that were legitimately postmarked on or close to the date of the flight? There are two ways:

Kniga (the USSR postal agency) issued first days for USSR stamps 2463 – 2465 issued in Moscow the day or two after the flight (a FDC for 2463 and 2464 is above), or "Club" covers postmarked at different sites in the USSR, in limited quantities, actually on April 12, 1961. Efforts to make and sell covers for commercial purposes were illegal in the USSR, however local stamp clubs were allowed to make and get-postmarked covers for their members, hence the term "club covers."

Now, changing gears to Gagarin autographed Vostok 1 covers! Gagarin died in an aircraft accident just under seven years after Vostok 1. So his autograph on covers, understandably high in demand, is actually in fairly short supply. And this has led to numerous forged Gagarin autographs to hit the market, most notably in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Buyer beware – you may want to get a Gagarin autograph authenticated before dropping a lot of money on it.

Over 50 years ago I was lucky enough to get this Gagarin autographed FDC for Poland Scott no. 974-975, commemorating his flight, issued on April 27. 1961 (below).

Any of you have some favorite Vostok 1 covers? Let's post them!

posted 02-11-2024 08:30 AM               

Indeed, and on that basis, there was an auction on eBay just some months ago by a well known German dealer for one with a Moscow postmark for 17th April, to which I had a bid that was winning by Miles until the final second. My bid, winning at around £23, was ousted by a snipe bid at the last second. My maximum bid was £177 which I foolishly thought was a reasonably high enough bid to win the thing.

In retrospect, I would still like to own one and should have bid higher...

Here are my two favourite Vostok 1 covers.

The top one is the earliest Russian stamp for the flight, which was produced and released on either the 13th or 14th April. So despite the Kniga cachets for FDC it is still backdated. But is the 'earliest' backdated if you get my meaning.

posted 02-11-2024 02:15 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by cosmos-walter:
Registered letters with this special postmark which were posted on April 12, 1961 are very scarce.

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posted 02-11-2024 02:43 PM               

The Kiev Offical Postmark is W140.

Winick has the Gagarin stamps FD as W144.