The preceding paragraphs have attempted to convey a portion of the breadth and scope of collecting Carpatho-Ukraine. Although only the major issues have been described for 1939 and 1945, a large number of collectible varieties exist. Even by today’s standards, this is an incredible number of stamps for such a small entity in such a short period of time.

In spite of these numbers, we have virtually ignored several closely related areas such as postal stationery (see chapter 14 for an inventory of Carpatho-Ukrainian stationery items); the 1944 local Czech "liberation" issues of Khust, Berehove, and Mukachiv; and the enigmatic local issue of Teresva. Finally, the fields of cancellations and postal history offer considerable depth and opportunities for new discoveries.

Many collectors choose to assemble the entire philatelic history of Carpatho-Ukraine, from the pre-stamp era through the Soviet period and presumably including today’s independent Ukraine. While there are obvious financial barriers to acquiring many of the scarcer items from the 1945 period, the greatest difficulty is in finding the material at all. If you are a collector who likes a challenge, this could be just what you are looking for.

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