Hello, my name is Andrey Vasiunin. I'm from Russia. My hobby is to collect cigarette tax stamps all over the world and I have been doing this since 2001. By the way, you can read small hisory of my collection, written for my first web-site www.akciza.narod.ru in 2005:

I have been liked to collect since my childhood. I have been tried to collect everything: badges, wrappers, different toys... Then, when I grew up,  I have got a huge interest in collecting of phrases "I Love You " in different languages! I has typed quite good enough collection, but  later in one magazine I have met the same collection, but it was much bigger then mine! My desire to collect this phrase has gone!... 

... It was july 2001,  warm pleasant summer day, I  sat carefree on wooden bench near my summer house and smoked a cigarette (Unfortunately I smoked that time). The Middle of July, nowhere to hurry up - the life is fine! I listened to birds singing and held cigarette pack in hands. Suddenly my sight fell to tax stamp, I  started to consider it. I liked this stamp, I took it off and put in wallet..., I do not know what for...! 

... Later that year I had  opportunity to visit Czech Republic,  and I was so surprised, when I have seen tax stamps on their cigarettes as well! I put it in my wallet too. At home  I saw stamps from Italy and Spain in friend's note book. So, it started!  I took my stamps and began to compare with his stamps! After this I had elicited his "trophies" from abroad and put all stamps in small album. Other friend presented me his bookmark - tax stamps from Latvia and also brought me stamp for Poland. Process has began: I have told  about my new hobby to all friends, they began to help: I received stamps from Greece, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Germany, Azerbaijan! I asked , if somebody wants to travel, to bring me a pack or a stamp! One day  I had been compelled to spend all the day at customs. There were truck from the different countries... a lot of! I has considerably filled up the collection. 

... Well , now I will finish my story, because the history passes in present. I  have tried to tell how it was, and have mentioned only the most important  facts from history of my collection! I am grateful  to all friends and relatives, who support me and help me! Many thanks to all drivers and conductors, who brought me packs! THANKS! 

...It has been a long time since the moment of writing of previous article. I have got still a considerable quantity of acquaintances and friends in the field of a collecting. I recieve stamps from all parts of the world, and many do it absolutely gratuitously! As I have managed to adjust quite good system of exchanges with collectors of cigarette packs. My foreign friends send to me not only stamps, but also packs from the different exotic countries that serves as remarkable "currency" in my business. I change packs for tax stamps! I wuold like to thank everybody who helps me and makes with me exchanges! Likely I will repeat, but THANKS!!!