Exploring the Moon on stamps

Both the former Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States have issued numerous postage stamps to commemorate their achievements in space. The Soviet stamps were produced in vast quantities and most of them can still be obtained cheaply, particularly if they are used (postmarked). Collecting these stamps is an interesting way of charting the progress of lunar exploration over the past half century. Many other countries have also produced stamps depicting lunar exploration, although most of these countries had no involvement in the missions at all. I have chosen a selection of interesting stamps from countries other than the US and Russia, mostly from the Communist (or formerly Communist) bloc. I have added descriptions of each item. The reference numbers come from the Stanley Gibbons catalogue, which is the most widely used in the UK, and are included to help identify the stamps; other catalogues give different identifying numbers.

The stamps are listed chronologically with thumbnail illustrations on the following pages. Alternatively, you can find them alphabetically by country in the table below; click on the date in the table for an image and a fuller description.

Note: The copyright in the postage stamps shown here may be owned by the issuing authority. The scans included here are for the purpose of identification and education.

For more about astronomy and space on stamps, see my astro-stamp pages.

Ian Ridpath

Nation and year	Face value	Description
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 1999	2 m	30th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing
BULGARIA 1984	1 l	25th anniversary of Luna 3
CHAD 1972 1972	100 f 150 f	Luna 16 taking off from the Moon Lunokhod 1 on the surface
CHINA 1960 1960 2007	8 f 10 f 1.20 y	Commemoration of the Soviet Luna 2 Commemoration of the Soviet Luna 3 Chinese lunar orbiter Chang’e 1
CUBA 1978 1978 1984	2 c 30 c 1 p	Luna 24 extracting surface samples Lunokhod 2 exploring the Moon Luna 1 passing the Moon
CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1961 1961	60 h 1.60 k	Luna 1, intended Moon impact Luna 3 and the far side of the Moon
EAST GERMANY 1959 1966 1971	20 pf 20 pf 20 pf	Luna 2 impacts the Moon Luna 9 landing on the Moon Lunokhod 1 rolling onto the Moon
GUERNSEY 1991	26 p	Apollo 11 Moon landing
HUNGARY 1959 1959 1964 1966 1966	60 f 60 f 30 f 2 ft 3 ft	Luna 1 heading for the Moon Luna 2 heading for the Moon Luna 3 photographing the far side Luna 9 descending to the surface Luna 9 transmitting data to Earth
KAZAKHSTAN 2004	50 t	Luna 3 looping around the Moon
MAURITANIA 1972 1972	75 f 100 f	Luna 16 ascent stage taking off Lunokhod 1 leaving the Luna 17 lander
MONGOLIA 1959 1959	30 m 50 m	Luna 3 being launched to the Moon Luna 3 photographing the far side
NETHERLANDS 1994	90 c	25th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing
POLAND 1970 1971	2.50 z 2.50 z	Luna 16 returning to Earth Lunokhod 1 exploring the Moon
ROMANIA 1959 1959 1971	1.60 l 1.75 l 3.30 l + 3.30 l	Luna 3 view of the lunar farside Diagram of Luna 3’s trajectory Luna 16 + Lunokhod 1
USSR/RUSSIA 1959 1959 1959 1959 1959 1960 1960 1966 1966 1966 1969 1969 1970 1971 1973 1973 1976 1984 1989	40 k 40 k 40 k 40 k 40 k 40 k 60 k 6 k 6 k 10 k x 3 10 k Sheet 10 k x 3 10, 12, 12, 16k 6 k Sheet x 2 10 k 5 k 15 k	Luna 1 trajectory past the Moon Ground tracks of Luna 1 Trajectory of Luna 3 Trajectory of Luna 2 Trajectory of Luna 2 Luna 3 photographs the far side Map of the far side of the Moon Trajectory of Luna 10 Luna 11’s arrival in orbit Luna 9 strip of three Zond 5 looping behind the Moon Zond 6 and Zond 7 Luna 16 landing, takeoff, return Luna 17 and Lunokhod 1 Lunokhod 2 roving over the surface Luna 21 and Lunokhod 2 Luna 24 sample return 25th anniversary of Luna 3 30th anniversary of Luna 1
USA 1969 1969 1971 1989 1991 1994 1994 1999 2000	6 c 10 c 8 c + 8 c $2.40 29 c $9.95 29 c (12) 33 c $11.75	Earth rising over the Moon Apollo 11 landing Apollo 15 and lunar rover 20th anniversary of Apollo 11 Lunar Orbiter surveying the Moon 25th anniversary of Apollo 11 25th anniversary of Apollo 11 sheet Buzz Aldrin’s boot print on the Moon Lunar Module and Apollo 16
VIETNAM (NORTH) 1966 1966	12 x 50 x	Luna 9 on its way to the Moon Luna 9 on the Moon