2018-12-11 Tue

InterAsia is auctioning many rare Chinese stamps from 10th to 12th December at Excelsior Hotel, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Large Dragons stamps, stamps from the People’s Republic of China and liberated areas, Hong Kong and treaty ports, and other Asian countries are being offered.

China’s first postage stamps were supposed to depict an elephant design. However, the design was rejected and the stamps were never released. A plate proof pair of China's 5-cash elephant-design essay on thin native laid paper is being offered at the auction. The well-centred stamps are neatly perforated at top and bottom. They have great colours and sharp impression. The freshness has been retained and well-preserved. They are being offered with an estimated value of $200,000 to $250,000 Hong Kong.

An 1884 cover sent from China to the US with a U.S. 5¢ Zachary Taylor stamp and a single China Large Dragon 3-candarin stamp is being offered at an estimated value of HK$1.5 million to HK$2 million. Experts believe that only 11 such Large Dragon-U.S. combination frankings exist today.

Two 1968 8-fen Great Victory of Cultural Revolution stamps, one depicting Mao Tse-tung and Lin Piao and the other featuring a map and workers are being offered for an estimated value of HK$400,000 to HK$500,000 and HK$4.5 million to HK$6 million, respectively. The former stamp has a listed market value of $300,000 while the latter, aka the large-format Whole Country is Red stamp, has a listed market value of $1.15 million. The two values were prepared to celebrate the Great Victory of the Cultural Revolution but were never issued. However, some were leaked into the market.

Image Courtesy: InterAsia Auctions