Russia 1940's, 50's No Gums?

I have a question I was hoping someone could help with. I'm currently sorting a mint Russian collection. Many of the stamps from the 1940s and 1950s have no gum however the Scott Catalog (which is my only reference) does not mention hat these should be without gum. Unlike many non-"natural" NG stamps I've encountered the rear of these look pristine and show no evidence of having been washed. Could some of these be re-issues or were many of the Rusian stamps of this period issued without gum?

Can you post the scans of a couple of these stamps (front and back), so that I can cross-check them with stamps from my collection? It might be the quality/quantity of the gum that gives the impression of "no gum" on some of these issues.

Would Scott numbers be alright? There is no gum on rear whatsoever, dry or otherwise, so assuming you have a Scott catalog I don't think scans would be helpful.

Scott numbers would be fine!

Ok, cool. Well, there are a lot so I'll just choose a sampling:

780
980
1049
1247
1394
2757
2811

There are some other stamps where it looks like the stamps have obviosuly been washed and/or the stamps is used where the back of the paper looks like it's been submerged - Hard to describe the look but you know it when you see it. These look like either the gum has naturally dried up or they never may have had gum to begin with.

I think that with most of the stamps that you mention the problem might rest with the quantity and quality of the gum as a general characteristic of the issue, NOT with its absence. Of course, without handling the stamps in person, it is impossible to preclude a washing-off of the gum.

Below is Scott #2811 (November 1963 issue):





From the back it is evident that the gum is cream-colored, smooth and non-shiny. The presence of the selvage on my stamp allows us to see the difference with the non-gumed strip at the edge of the selvage.

Another example - Scott #1247 (August 1948 issue):





Similar observations as above - maybe the gum is a little darker. The same applies to the other stamps mentioned (I am not posting scans of all of them).

The only exception among the stamps you mention seems to be the June 1940 set, Scott #780-783. My mint set has a shinier gum when viewed under a light at an angle.

Thanks for the help. I see what you mean and understand. Scans can only do so much, of course. Otherwise, though, you're not aware of any Russian stamps being issued without gum?

The only stamps that I can think of as having been printed without gum are the 1922 South East Famine Relief semi-postals, Scott# B30-33.

I checked a few of the stamps by moistening my finger (they were already hinged) and you were correct! I've never seen gum so thin. Maybe the USSR was short on glue at the time or something. You were also correct about the one issue that should have had shiny gum, that one had none. You've been a big help, thanks.

Nice verification test! Hope you enjoy your Soviet stamps and that we talk more about them in the future.