Soviet space stamps: an overview

Stamps · 3 September 2026

Space is the most recognisable theme in Soviet philately. The open archive holds 181 issues from 1950 to 1991, and the distribution speaks for itself: 106 stamps in the 1960s, 42 in the 1970s, 26 in the 1980s. The peak runs from 1961 to 1964, when every milestone got its own stamp.

The theme year by year

• 1957 – the first issues for the artificial satellite launch: CPA 2093 and 2110.
• 1961 – 11 issues: the year of the first crewed flight and of automatic probes.
• 1962–1964 – the densest stretch: 23, 30 and 23 issues, marking group flights, new probes and records.
• 1970s – 42 issues: orbital stations, dockings, international programmes.
• 1980s – 26 issues; the theme thins out but never disappears.

What collectors look for

Mass space stamps of the 1960s to 1980s survive in enormous numbers and carry little value. What matters is:

1. Imperforate versions of ordinary issues, printed in smaller runs.
2. Souvenir sheets and miniature sheets – separate catalogue positions, not just a stamp on paper.
3. Event overprints – text added to an existing stamp to mark a new flight.
4. Printing errors – colour shifts and other typographic deviations.

How to judge a specific copy is covered in the guide on the value of a Soviet stamp.

Where to browse

Pick the Soviet Union in the catalogue, then the period and the year – space issues sit among the rest but are easy to spot by date. The USSR section holds 6,423 stamps. Open it: the Soviet Union page or the full catalogue with filters.