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| Type A1 | Type A2 |
| In March of 1918 in the Northwest and Western regions of the
country, Typhoid Epidemic was responsible for the death of quite a
number of people in those areas. In order to raise funds to fight off
the disease a One Shahi stamp was issued in Rasht (Recht). These
stamps were used in addition to the regular postage stamps. Apparently
the Rasht Charity stamps were only in use for a period during May and
June of 1918 and possibly July of the same year.
It must be noted that Rasht was under siege by the separatist forces of Mirza Kuchik Khan Jangali supported by the Russian Bolsheviks and eventually on July 19 it fell into the hands of the rebels and most likely that was the end of this issue. The rebels were kicked out of Rasht on July 29 of 1918. Again on June 5th, 1920, by the backing and support of the Russian Bolsheviks, Mirza Kuchik Khan and his communist comrades captured Rasht and formed the Soviet Republic of Iran, but on August 18 of 1920, Rasht was liberated by the Iranian government armed forces and the rebels either surrendered or killed and a small group including Mirza Kuchik Khan escaped and later he froze to death in the mountains of Masouleh. Although the size of the sheets are not known, however so far, five different cliché varieties are identified which are shown here. The stamps are separated into two major types of A & B based on the dots of the word "Khairieh" (meaning Charity) which are either set vertically or horizontally. Each major types are also separated by the shape of the lions' face and the trident leaves ornaments at top and bottom of each cliché. |
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