Tajikistan - Travel/Philately/Numismatics/Memorabilia Profile

Tajikistan, a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the People’s Republic of China has a total land area of 55,251 square miles and a population of around 8 million. Tajikistan, a mountainous country, is home to Pamir and Alay. It is among the poorest countries of the world. Its economy is heavily dependent upon exports of aluminum, agriculture and remittances from abroad. Another source of income is from narcotics trafficking, which is not quantifiable. It has immense hydroelectric potential, which it is trying to harness with foreign investment. Since 2000 tourism has picked up considerably.

Travel Resources: 

The best times to visit the scenically spectacular Tajikistan are during the months of March, April, September and October. Its highlights are the Pamirs, the capital Dushanbe, Wakhan Valley, and Penjikent. It is cutout more for adventure travelers. Trekking, hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, fishing and adventure sports are some activities on offer. Tajik cuisine shares regional similarities with Afgan, Uzbek, and Iranian cuisine. Dried fruits, halwa, soup, non (flat-bread), plov, and green tea are typical dishes.

Resource	ISBN or ASIN	Best Price	Description
Tajikistan and the High Pamirs	978-9622178182	$23	Best book in terms of both as a guide book and backgrounder. Excellent Illustrations with 253 color photographs and 17 maps. History, Flora and Fauna, and Exploration of the Pamir Mountains are all extensively covered.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Map	978-9630083157	$13	1:3M Scale.
Tajikistan Grounded Adapter Plug – GUB	B001FD5E4I	$8

Philatelic Profile:

The first stamp of Tajikistan was a stamp released on May 20, 1992 showing the Gold Statue of Man on Horse. The stamp (Scott #1) is inexpensive and catalogs for around 30c MNH or used. Tajikistan became independent on December 26, 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. The first issue was followed by a few other issues showing local scenes. None of them catalog over a few dollars. The country has only issued about 200-odd stamps and so it is fairly easy to acquire a full set of stamps. Immediately after independence, Tajikistan went through a devastating civil war that lasted till 1997. During this period, the vast majority of non-Muslims (mostly ethnic Russians and Jews) fled the country. The civil war allegedly involved Russian and Iranian backed clans. Iran was the first country to establish an embassy in Dushanbe, the capital city and one of the first countries to recognize Tajikistan as an independent nation.

Other issues of Tajikistan enjoying good philatelic interest include:

1. A set of twelve stamps released between 1993 and 1994 showing local scenes. The set (Scott #20 to #32) catalogs for around $5 MNH or used. The designs show statue of Rudaki, mountains and river, statue with Oriental Inscription, Mausoleum of Aini, map, 19th century Fortress, post office, Aini Opera House, theater, flag and map, observatory, and academy. Aini is a town in Northwest Tajikistan named after the Tajik National Poet Sadriddin Ayni.
2. A set of six stamps and a souvenir sheet released on June 28, 1996 in the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) theme. The set (Scott #92 to #97 and #98) catalogs for around $12 MNH or used. The designs show Pallas’s Cat, a sub-species of jungle cat, and the Tibetan lynx.
3. A set of six stamps released on August 13, 2004 showing Dushanbe Buildings. The set (Scott #234 to #239) catalogs for around $3 MNH or used. The designs show National Circus, Ferdowsi National Library, National Bank, Finance Ministry, Communications Ministry, and City Government Building. Ferdowsi was a highly revered Persian poet of the 10th century who authored Shahnameh, the national epic of Persian people.

Numismatic Profile:

The first coin of Tajikistan was a Republic Standard Coinage (1 Rouble = 100 Tanga) 20 Roubles Silver Proof of 1999. The issue catalogs for around $75. The Rouble was replaced by the Somoni (1 Somoni = 100 Diram) on October 30, 2000 (1 Somoni = 1000 Roubles).

Numismatic items of Tajikistan include:

Item	Price Range	Description
Coins	$2 and up	Recent Dirams in BU starts around $2. Recent Commemorative Bi-metal issues, Year Sets etc start around $10. Commemorative Silver Proofs, Mint Boxed Silver Coins, etc start around $50 and go into the 100s.
Paper Money	$2 and up	Recent Dirams in UNC starts around $2. Recent UNC Sets, Consecutive Serial Number Banknotes of 5-pieces or more, etc start around $10. UNC Bundles starts around $30. High Value UNC Bundles, Rare Specimens, etc start around $50 and go into the 100s.

Collectible Memorabilia:

Fabrics (cotton and silk), carpets, jewelry, embroidery, etc., are some important souvenirs from Tajkistan.

Resource	Price Range	Description
Miscellaneous Collectibles	$2 and up	Flags, Magnets, Pin Badges, and Postcards start around $2. Police Badges, Yellow Heliodor Beryl Crystals, etc start around $10.

Last Updated: 12/2015.