Look for attractive Latvia 1933 airmail semipostal set

May 14, 2025, 8 AM

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are the three Baltic States wedged between Russia, Belarus, Poland and the Baltic Sea. In 1918 Latvia won its independence from the collapsing German and Russian Empires only to be faced almost immediately with an invasion and attempted conquest by the Russian Bolsheviks. Latvia defeated and expelled the invading Russians, aided in no small part by the Polish victory in the Soviet-Polish War of 1919-21.

Nazi-Soviet rapprochement in 1939 saw Latvia awarded to the Soviet Union in the secret protocols of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The Soviet Union began occupying Latvia on Oct. 5, 1939, and the country was annexed outright on Aug. 5, 1940.

About 35,000 Latvians were murdered or exiled to Siberia by the Soviets prior to the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. After the war, the Soviet annexation of Latvia was allowed to stand until Aug. 21, 1991, when Latvia reproclaimed its independence and emerged from 51 years of captivity in the Soviet Union.

Latvia issued its first stamps on Dec. 18, 1918, and continued to issue stamps until the Soviet annexation. After reestablishing its independence, Latvia resumed issuing postage stamps on Oct. 19, 1991.

Some of the most attractive and desirable Latvian stamps are the airmail semipostal stamps issued during 1930-33. At the time they were issued, some collectors designated them as “Black Blot” stamps that were to be boycotted as exploitative and unnecessary. Ironically many Black Blot stamps of the period turned out to be some of the most expensive and desirable stamps issued.

On March 15, 1933, Latvia issued four airmail semipostal stamps (Scott CB14-CB17) to raise funds for the relief of Latvian aviators wounded in the war for independence. The colorful bicolor stamps were issued perforated gauge 11½ and imperforate.

The designs featured Icarus falling after he flew too close to the sun, a monument to fallen aviators, and two designs showing proposed memorial tombs for fallen aviators. This set is popular with Baltic States collectors as well as with aviation topical collectors.

The Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 values the perforated set in very fine grade and unused, hinged condition at $56. A set in mint, never-hinged condition is valued at $125. An imperforate set (Scott CB14a-CB17a) is valued at $60 in unused, hinged condition and at $135 in mint, never-hinged condition.

Both sets are a good buy at up to full Scott catalog value. A set in fine-very fine grade is a good buy at around 75 percent of Scott catalog value.

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