US Collector Needs Siberia Help, Please!

I purchased a large Russia collection-- and know nothing about Russia. I've gone through 9 volumes, over $3000 CV (not counting anything less than $.50), and over 5000 stamps total. I bought the collection for $150, just to sell it.

I think that these are not ID'd correctly. They are mounted the spaces for Siberia, 1919, unwatermarked, and they all have a very loud and distinct diamond patterned watermark. But I can't find in my Scott 2008 what the Scott numbers would be IF watermarked.

Can someone ID these for me? Would greatly appreciate! Thanks, Ray

ray-mac,

it is NOT a watermark! The basic stamps (Imperial issues of 1909-1912 and later re-ssues) on which the overprints were applied were in indeed unwatermarked, BUT carried on the face side the so-called "vertical lozenges of varnish", presumably to avoid washing of cancels and re-use. This is what you are seeing as a diamond pattern on your stamps - these lozenges can be quite visible in some late printings.

So your stamps are not misplaced.

Vasia-- Thanks much!

I was thinking that they were the brightest watermarks I had ever seen, and was also wishing that some of the US stamps that are yellow with very faint, sometimes undetectable watermarks, had watermarks as strong as these!

Nice to know-- and thanks for your help!

Ray