Ukrainian shah

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Thirty-shah stamp of Ukrainian People's Republic (1918). The young woman depicted in the stamp symbolizes the young Ukrainian nation.

Shah (

szeląg). The forms shahy (шаги, for 2 to 4) and shahiv (шагiв, for five or more) are declensional
plurals of the noun used in denominations, for example, 2 shahy, 20 shahiv.

17th-19th centuries

Ukrainian-speakers used the term shah to refer to the

grosz, coined from 1528, and especially during the times of Sigismund III Vasa (ruled Poland–Lithuania from 1587 to 1632). Later, when the Ukrainian lands came increasingly under the influence of Russia, the name was transferred to the Russian copper coin of 2 kopecks. From 1839, when the Russian Empire extended its silver coinage, the term shah was transferred to the silver ½-kopeck. This term for the kopeck remained in use until 1917.[citation needed
]

Early 20th century

In 1917, banknotes were introduced in the newly independent Ukraine. These were denominated in shah, hryvnia and karbovanets, with 100 shahiv = 1 hryvnia and 2 hryvni = 1 karbovanets.

At the beginning of the 20th century, during World War I (1914–1918), many countries issued currency in the form of

West Ukrainian National Republic and Ukrainian People's Republic. There, these money stamps were called shahivky (шагiвки, singular: шагiвка, shahivka). Stamps in denominations of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 shahiv were issued.[1]

These shahivki were printed on perforated 11 ½ card stock, due to a shortage of metals needed for the war effort at the time. Each currency stamp was inscribed on the reverse with a tryzub (trident) and with some words stating that these shahivki circulate in lieu of coins and that they are prohibited to be used as stamps. However, they do appear on some postal envelopes as there was an acute deficiency of "true" stamps. Nevertheless, on July 18, 1918, the independent Ukrainian government authorized its first set of stamp issues, also called shahivki and having nearly identical designs.

The 10 and 20-shah stamps issues of Ukrainian People's Republic were designed by the artist Anton Sereda and the 30, 40, and 50-shah stamps by

Kyiv
.

This 1918 issue of shahs was designed by graphic artists Anton Sereda and Heorhiy Narbut.

Late 20th century

In 1992, after the

dissolution of the Soviet Union after which the newly independent Ukraine
was able to choose its own currency, trial runs of coins of 1 shah and 50 shahiv were issued, but were not approved. Therefore, the kopiyka (копійка) was confirmed as a numismatic term for Ukrainian currency, despite nationalistic sentiments that kopiyka (Ukrainian for Russian kopeyka) is a Russian term.

See also

References

  1. S2CID 249735013
    .
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stamps of Ukraine.

External links

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