Most valuable Chinese stamps

The Whole Country is Red stamp, 1968

The Whole Country is Red is a valuable Chinese stamp issued in 1968. The item has such a name due to the slogan that it contains. It represents Mao’s enormous political revolution that imposed China’s commitment to Communism. The stamp strengthened that notion by declaring the phrase: ‘the whole country is red’. It features an army of smiling Chinese citizens holding Mao’s ‘Little Red Book’, a symbol of communism. Although the overall design of this philatelic item was made in red colour, the small island of Taiwan, to the right, was left in white. That is why this stamp is so valuable, as it contains a design mistake! Once the error was detected, the stamp was quickly withdrawn from the market. It is not known how many copies with such a mistake are left, but they are definitely extremely rare. One of the finest specimens of Chinese Whole Country is Red stamp was for $445,103 at InterAsia Auctions on  July 20, 2015. Another example of this scarce item (shown here) fetched 13.8 million yuan (US$2 million) at China Guardian auction in Beijing on Nov 23, 2018. One more copy of the stamp, in great condition, unmounted mint with full original white gum, managed to fetch $1,155.637 at Interasia auction in December 2018. 

10¢-on-9-candareen dark green stamp, 1897

1897 10¢-on-9-candareen dark green Dragons and Shou stamp with the 10¢ surcharge inverted is a real philatelic gem of Chinese philately. Considered as one of the most notable stamps of China’s Empress Dowager issue, the item is worth much money fetching great prices, every time it appears at the auction. Philatelists claim that only three samples survived with only one unused specimen, which was offered by Spink in January 2019. Described by the auction firm as “centred towards one corner but still exhibiting exceptional margins, large to enormous. There is a pulled perforation at the foot of the stamp, otherwise a very fresh stamp with bright colour and on white paper”, the item was a real star of this sale. Previously owned by Sir Percival David, the magnificent example of this legendary stamp, considered to be the rarest and most sought-after Dowager surcharge, was sold at an impressive price of HK$6,100,000, or approximately roughly $933,300

Red revenue large figures surcharge $1 on 3c stamp, 1897

Red revenue large figures surcharge $1 on 3c stamp is one of the most attractive Chinese issues. As philatelists assert, only 32 items were released and all of them have been preserved till today. The stamps were printed at a historically meaningful span of time. They were produced under the Qing dynasty when it switched China’s currency to dollars. Red revenue stamp was made with a dollar imprint to commemorate this reform. Due to some mistake, the dollar was printed too small and lately, it was replaced with a larger image. The stamp with a smaller imprint is very valuable today. It was sold for at Interasia auction that took place in June 2013. The stamp (illustrated here) featuring exquisitely bright colour, unused with much original gum, was sold for $878,908. In January 2016 Spink auction house sold a great example of this rare stamp featuring fresh, bright colour on white paper, for $669,934. In December 2018 the stamp, type A with the "1 Dollar" of the surcharge partly covering the word "Revenue", realized $711,161 at Interasia auction.

Olive-colored Queen Victoria's Head, 1864

The olive-colored Queen Victoria's head was issued in 1864 with the face value of 96 Hong Kong cents. Today this interesting philatelic item is thought to be one of the most expensive Chinese stamps. Initially, it should have been printed in a brownish-grey tone. But due to some error the 52 of the overall number were printed in olive color. The watermark was wrongly styled, and the word "CC" was printed in the wrong place. Today only 40 pieces of the olive-colored Queen Victoria's head can be found, but only one block of four (shown in the article) exists today.  It was auctioned for $820,000 at Spink auction that took place in Hong Kong, in 2012. Whereas the single stamp, in mint and very fine condition, featuring brilliant rich colour, was sold for $88,895 at Interasia auction that took place in June 2018. 

5 cash Elephant Essay, 1878

The Elephant Essay was one of the subjects approved for the first postage stamp of China in 1877-1878. The item shows an honored Chinese ceremonial animal that is carrying a pot of growing cycas, which symbolize constant change and regeneration. The stamp also features two bats flying above the elephant. They symbolize joyfulness and good cheer as the Chinese name for a bat is fu (the sound of which is similar to the word for happiness). The design shows Chinese characters in black, but the frame, country, and value in brown color. A great example of this rarity appeared at the Spink’s sale of the Mizuhara collection in January 2016.  The lot managed to fetch an incredible price of $463,000. In December 2018, a fine horizontal pair of Elephant essays was sold for $96,300 at the Interasia auction. 

The Red Maiden in the Green Robe stamp, 1897

Also known as a 2-cent small figure surcharged on red revenue stamps in green, the Red Maiden in the Green Robe is considered to be one of the most interesting Chinese philatelic items. The item was issued during the Qing Dynasty. As it was the time for currency reform, the stamps with a face value in silver could not be printed and issued anymore. That is why the “temporary” stamp was designed – the Red Revenue stamp was imprinted with a green ink. The philatelists and historians assert that there are only nine such stamps remain undestroyed. In December 2004, a fine copy of Red Maiden in the Green Robe stamp was sold for $444,477 in Hong Kong.

Blue Military stamp, 1953

Blue Military stamps were designed and issued to the soldiers who were on active duty so that they can use them to send letters. Shortly after the stamps were issued, the authorities realized the paper was slightly transparent and it might be a risk of confidential information being leaked out. As a consequence, all mint stamps were ordered to be destroyed and only a small part that had been in use was preserved. Only few of them still survive until today. In 2011, a fine specimen of Blue Military stamp (illustrated in the article) was auctioned for 2.7 million yuan (US$428,654) in China. In June 2017 Interasia auction house sold a very fine-appearing example of this prominent and elusive People's Republic rarity, unused without gum as issued, for $281,500.

The inverted Sun Yat-sen stamp, 1941

The inverted Sun Yat-sen stamps feature Sun Yat-sen who was considered to be China’s “Father of the Nation”. These spectacular items were issued in 1941, but only one sheet of fifty has inverted portraits. Nowadays only two pairs of this error are known to exist and this fact makes them so valuable in the eyes of stamp collectors. Interasia Auctions offered a specimen of this popular twentieth-century rarity featuring deep rich colour, characteristic centring frame to foot, at its sale that took place in September 2011. The lot was hammered down at $222,237. In March 2012, an inverted Dr. Sun stamp (shown here) was sold for over HK$2.4 million (or roughly $305,707) at Zurich Asia, setting the world auction record for any Republic of China stamps at that time. Another variety of the stamp with centre inverted, position 6, featuring deep rich colours, appeared at Interasia auction in December 2018. The lot managed to fetch $192,606.

8f 40th Anniversary of Establishment of Jing Gangshan Revolutionary Bases stamp, 1967

Unissued 8f 40th Anniversary of Establishment of Jing Gangshan Revolutionary Base stamp is a modern Chinese philatelic rarity. The item shows Chairman Mao & Lin Biao on the podium overlooking Tien An Men Square. The stamp is also well-known in the philatelic circle as “Big Blue Sky”. It was intended to be issued in September 1967, but because of unknown circumstances, all ordered copies were destroyed. Only a few examples of this rare stamp survived; none are known of any other value in the set. Philatelists assert that the destruction of the stamps was not properly controlled, that is why some examples are available nowadays. One of the finest specimens of the 40th Anniversary of Establishment of Jing Gangshan Revolutionary Base stamp with wonderfully bright colors on fresh white paper, unmounted mint with full pristine original gum, was offered at Interasia auction that took place in January 2010. The lot fetched $281,512.

Theatrical Masks of the Beijing Opera stamp, 1964

Red Monkey stamp, 1980

Hall of Classics invert stamp, 1915

Hall of Classics invert stamp is a magnificent example of a rare and valuable Chinese issue. It is part of a lengthy set first issued in the form of a London printing in 1913. Small characteristics of the various printings distinguish what are otherwise identical designs. The 1913 London printing was followed by a 1915 first Peking printing, which produced the error stamp that is highly sought after today. Only around 30 examples are known to exist today. 1915 Hall of Classics invert (shown here) hammers for $160,000 at Cherrystone auction that took place in September 2013. In June 2018 an unused example of the stamp was offered at Interasia auction. A fine copy of this rare and popular inverted centre fetched $96,303 at this sale. 

8f Views of Peking unissued stamp, 1956

1956 Views of Peking unissued, orange with the background of rays of sunlight is one of the most valuable Chinese philatelic items. The item features rays of sunlight above the Gate of Heavenly Peace. Experts assert that faults and repairs of this issue are not rare, as the majority of items were torn carelessly from covers. An outstanding example of this popular stamp appeared at the Interasia auction in September 2011 fetching an impressive price of $118,531. Another fine specimen of this valuable item (illustrated here), very fresh with vibrant color on brilliant white paper and sharp engraving, well centered, was offered at Interasia auction in January 2014. The lot was hammered down at $148,164.

Large dragon stamp, 1878

The large dragon was perhaps China’s first ever stamp. It was introduced when the country’s modern mail service started in 1878. With these stamps the letters were delivered to the average people. Before this, correspondence was possible only in the army. Three stamps were issued that are collectively known as the “large dragons”. Different coloured dragons represented different values, including 1, 3, and 5. A vertical pair of Large dragon stamps (illustrated here), very fine and fresh unused without gum, was auctioned for $118,526 at Interasia auction that took place in December 2017. In December 2018 the same auction house sold another fine pair of these rare stamps for $88,895. A sheet of twenty five 1ca green Large Dragons achieved $498,849 in a sale of Chinese stamps at Spink in January, 2018. The lot is from the third setting and displays strong margins alongside a decent quantity of the original gum.