Spink is to auction 1968 “Mao's Inscription to Japanese Worker Friends” stamp at its sale that will take place on 20th January 2019. This is a fine example of one of the rarest stamps of the Cultural Revolution, which features a design called Mao's 1968 Inscription to Japanese Worker Friends. The lot in mint condition, having one fractionally short perforation at left is expected to fetch HK$900,000 (or roughly $114,746).
The so-called “Japanese Worker” stamps were prepared in 1968 for the sixth anniversary of Chairman Mao's writings for the Japanese. But they never officially issued because Japan’s government objected, fearing that they might incite communist feelings and revolutionary ideas among its population. The post office at Hebei, however, had already begun selling stamps prior to the official issuance date and before the order was given to cancel the issue and return the stamps to Beijing. Only few items survived and they are quite valuable today!
