Odessa City Collectors' Society

40-year anniversary of Odessa City Collectors' Society

Brief historical reference

The Odessa City Collectors' Society (OCCS) as self-dependent public organization of cultural and educational character exists since February 1972.

The origin of OCCS dates from the early history of Odessa. The Odessa Society of History and Antiquities (OSHA) founded in 1839 can be considered to be its forebear with good reason. Many founders and directors of OSHA and also curators of its museum were numismatists and collectors of antiquity: N.N. Murzakevich. E.R. Von Stern, A.L. Bertie-Delagard and many others. The member of this society, collector and numismatist P.O.Burachkov was an author of the fundamental Coins Catalogue of the Northern Black Sea Region .

In 1914 the Odessa Municipal Council (Duma) registered the regulations of the Odessa Society of the collectors of the Europe and America post stamps . In its structure were entered philatelists, numismatists, collectors of paper money, postcards and other directions of collectings .

In the pre-war period there were many known collectors in Odessa : numismatists V.V. Voskresensky and M.A. Zilberman, collector of paper money E.I. Detilot and others.

They were not included in the organization but had regular meetings mostly in the Alexandrovsky park .

In March, 1958, the Odessa Society of collectors (OSC) was organized with the regional and city organizations. The chairman of the regional organization became a known philatelist Kharitonov V.P.. The philatelic section as the most numerous played the main role in OSC. The number of the representatives of the other directions were thrice less .

In 1960'-1970' such collectors as numismatists Petridis V.L., Kotzievsky A.S. and Alekseev V.P., collector of paper money Makandarov G.I., collector of medals Korchenov V.K., collectors of postcards Tziporkis R.M. and Prikhotsky A.I. and many others were known not only in Odessa but also outside of it.

In February, 1972,ОSC was divided into two self-dependent public organizations : the Odessa Philatelic Society and the Odessa City Collectors' Society (ОCCS). From that time ОCCS has its own regulations and office , its own membership card and badge.

A seaman Repkin B.N. was the first chairman of ОCCS. Then the society was headed by Edidovich V.A. (1972-1982), Tarsis S.A. (1982-1991), Loboda P.G. (1991-present time).

In 1980'-1990' the most outstanding collectors in Odessa were numismatists Vayshenker V.I. and Shadrin B.S., collector of posrcards Drozdovskiy V.A., collector of paper money Bisselman Y.L.

The members of ОCCS made an important contribution to the cultural life of Odessa. They founded the number of new museums: Bleshunov A.V. - The Municipal Museum of Personal Collections, Beliy A.M. - The Museum of Chinaware in Ilichevsk, Tziporkis R.M. - the Museum "Old Odessa ", Loboda P.G. - The Odessa Numismatics Museum .

The Odessa City Collectors' Society is not only the oldest and largest in city public organization but also dynamically developing structure. At the beginning of 2006 there were more than 1500 members of Society.

CHAIRMANS of OCCS

REPKIN Boris Nikolaevich One of organizers and the first chairman of the Odessa City Collectors' Society (1972). The sea captain. Candidate of Technical Science.. Was born in 1929 in Tver city, Russia. In 1952 was educated the Odessa Higher Engineering Marine School. In 28 years became the captain. Took active part in settlement of the Caribbean crisis in 1962. Worked in the sea organization of the United Nations - IMCO. Headed the Management of Passenger Fleet of the Black Sea Shipping Company. The numismatist. Had an extensive coins collection of the Great Britain and also its dominions and colonies.
EDIDOVICH Valentine Andreevich The chairman of the Odessa City Collectors' Society in 1972-1982 г.г. The participant of the Great Patriotic War. Was born in 1913. By speciality was engineer - builder. After war took active part in a construction of Odessa steel factory Centrolit. Then long years worked at the same factory as main engineer. The organizing talent and the big life experience helped him to supervise successfully the Odessa City Collectors' Society created in 1972. Due to him appeared a present structure of the organization and membership cards, began growth of OCCS. The numismatist. Had a unique collection of coins of Russia Empire and France. Tragically was lost at a fire in 1983.
TARSIS Samuil Aronovich One of the most active participants of creation in Odessa society of collectors. Chairman of OCCS in 1982-1991. Was born in 1922 in Odessa. Took part in the Great Patriotic War as officer. A victory has met in the ranks of Polish Army Ljudova in which battled since 1943. Since 1960 up to a leaving on pension worked as chief of a development in the Odessa Polytechnical Institute. One of organizers of popular collective and individual exhibitions which were started from the end of 1960'. Collector of postcards. Had an extensive collection of Odessa ancient postcards.
LOBODA Peter Grigoryevich Was born in 1949 in Odessa. Was educated the Odessa Marine Academy. More than 20 years have worked on sea-going ships of the Black Sea Shipping Company. The participant of war operations and marine officer. The hereditary numismatist. Took a great interest in antique numismatics since 1960' . The author of many numismatic articles devoted to the Northern Black Sea Region. The founder of the Odessa Numismatics Museum (1999) and the author of the project of the Odessa Virtual Numismatics Museum (2000). The founder and conducting the popular TV serials devoted to a collecting. The deputy of the Odessa City Council. Since July, 14, 1991 heads the Odessa City Collectors' Society.	During Сonference in Verona