The first philatelic society in the RSFSR was founded in Moscow in 1918. Most members of the pre-revolutionary Moscow Stamp Collectors Society joined the Moscow Society of Philatelists and Collectors. It existed till February 1921. The idea of establishing a new philatelic society was supported by the Russian Bureau of Philately at the RSFSR National Commissariat of Post and Telegraphs in 1922. The first organizational meeting of the new society took place on April 6, 1923. According to the charter approved on March 15, 1923 it came to be called the All-Russian Society of Philatelists. Its branches were opened in Yerevan, Tiflis, Tashkent, Ashgabat, Baku, and other cities. It existed till the late 1930s. The first All-Russian Philatelic Exhibition was held in 1924 — 1925. The Soviet Philatelist journal (1922 — 1932) was published by the All-Russian Society of Philatelists. The 1950s saw lots of philatelic groups springing up in many cities of the RSFSR. They all became part of the All-Union Society of Philatelists (AUSP) founded in 1966.

 

AUSP was a voluntary cultural and educational organization and united philatelists from all over the USSR. It evolved from the Moscow Municipal Society of Philatelists and a range of philatelic associations in other cities of the country. The AUSP aimed at the all-round use of philately as one of the socially useful activities combining rational rest with broader cultural scope promoting communistic education. The main activities of AUSP included philately promotion, founding local philatelic branches and clubs, research work, organizing exhibitions, extending and consolidating friendly and cultural relations with foreign philatelic organizations, etc.

 

 

AUSP became part of the International Philately Federation in 1967. The AUSP Board had headquarters in Moscow. Its first chairman was E. T. Krenkel, followed by the space pilot L. S. Dyomin from 1977. In 1977 the UASP united over 2 thousand primary organizations and 3 thousand clubs of young philatelists, which came to over 200 thousand members all together. In 1966 — 1976 the UASP exhibited more than 1 thousand collections marked by 854 medals and 198 prizes at the international exhibitions. The rank of Honorary UASP member was established to reward for merits in development and promotion of the Soviet philately; by 1977 it was given to 62 Soviet and foreign philatelists. 

 

 

The year-book Soviet Collector was published in Moscow from 1963 and the monthly journal Philately of the USSR was issued by the USSR Ministry of Communications and the AUSP from 1966. The journal published data on issuing new stamps, acquainted readers with research on the history of post and philately, subject collecting, activities of AUSP and philatelic unions of other socialist countries; there was a special column for young philatelists. The journal repeatedly won prizes and awards at international philatelic exhibitions. It was printed with the circulation of about 100 thousand copies in 1977 and 44 thousand copies in 1991.

 

The year 1976 saw the publication of The Directory of Stamps of the USSR. 1918 — 1974. It was later accompanied with annual additions.

 

Half a million people were engaged in philately in the USSR in the mid 1970s, and over 200 thousand of them were members of the AUSP. 

 

 

The Philatelic Union of the Russian Federation, the assignee of the Philatelic Union of the USSR, has existed since 1992. Now (since 1992) The journal Philately of the USSR was published under the new name of Philately.

The 4th Congress of Philatelic Union of the RF was held in November, 2005.

There are regional philatelic organizations. One of the examples of such organizations is the Philatelic Union of the Tula Region.