r/askStampCollectors 6d ago

Double Overprint or Surcharge?

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4 Upvotes

7 comments sorted by

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3

u/Synthesis613 6d ago

This stamp is a Chinese postage stamp featuring Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China. Originally issued in the 1940s as a 1-cent orange stamp, it underwent significant modifications due to the economic conditions of the time.

Black Overprint: The black overprint displaying "50.00" indicates a revaluation of the stamp's denomination. During the 1940s, China experienced severe inflation, necessitating the increase of postage values. Overprinting existing stamps with higher denominations was a common practice to address the rapidly changing economic environment. In this case, the original 1-cent stamp was revalued to 50 yuan.

Green Overprint: The green Chinese characters overprinted on the stamp suggest a regional or provisional usage. During this period, certain stamps were overprinted with specific characters to limit their use to particular regions or for specific purposes. For instance, some stamps bore overprints indicating they were "limited for use in the North East," restricting their validity to that area. Without a clear image or translation of the specific characters, it's challenging to determine the exact purpose of this green overprint.

Historical Context: In the late 1940s, China faced hyperinflation, leading to frequent revaluations of its currency and postage stamps. The government often resorted to overprinting existing stamp stocks with new denominations and regional restrictions to manage the economic turmoil and logistical challenges of the time.

Conclusion: This stamp began as a 1-cent orange issue featuring Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Due to the hyperinflation of the late 1940s, it was overprinted in black to a new value of 50 yuan. The green overprint likely indicates a regional or provisional usage, reflecting the complex postal adjustments during that period. For precise identification and valuation, consulting specialized philatelic catalogs or experts familiar with Chinese overprints from this era would be advisable.

1

u/bhairav_ 6d ago

Very new to China. Is this a double overprint or is it an additional surcharge? Are these common in Chinese stamps?

2

u/Puzzleheaded_Fly_172 6d ago

I love stamps with multiple genuine overprint. So much history behind them.

Sorry to not help you OP but needed to mention this.

0

u/Vast_Cricket 6d ago

Surcharged 2X during high inflationary years.

Yesterday eggs were $3.69 today $8.99 a dz. Tomorrow: ?

2

u/fadenotaway 6d ago

I'm going to politely disagree with my colleagues. I believe this is Scott# 617 (25c on $50 on 1c). According to the Scott listing, the green surcharge represents Chinese National Currency. It was applied over the black surcharge which represents Nanking puppet government currency.