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This is said to be a "zemstvo" from Luzhsk, but one issued much later than the Russian zemstvos,
after the Russian revolution, and quickly suppressed by the USSR government (or perhaps I should
say RFSFR). It's new to me and I'd like to know more about these. This one does not say "poshta"
(postage). Are there more towns than UPO's 183-4? Are they listed anywhere?
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I found this one in the Alnis Guide to Russian Revenues and Cinderellas,
published by Andrew Hall in the UK back in the early 1980's. It is listed
as part of a set of 6(?) - issued by the Luga local administration during
the RSFSR period (1917-23), as Council of Delegates Fee stamps. Listed and
pictured are a 5k green (as yours), 10k red-brown, 50k light brown, 1R
yellow-brown, 3R green and yellow, and there is a 5R listed (but not
illustrated, and colors are unknown). Hall assigned them each a point
value of 50 (mint or used) which I now equate to a retail value of about
$8.50 each (just try and find them though!). The designs are all different
(on the 5 illustrated). [Ray Petersen]
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If I rely on the Alnis listing as correct then I would tend to classify
this more as a revenue item that a postal item. From the description
"Delegates Fee" it may have been some type of dues stamp. There are
literally hundreds if not thousands of different types of Russian/Soviet
dues stamps. It seems that every citizen was required to be a member of
several organizations (although technically the membership was voluntary)
and most of these organizations had membership booklets and dues,
initiation, and additional contribution stamps to go in the membership
booklets. [Ray Petersen]
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