China Stamps

The values of Chinese stamps range from almost nothing to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In fact, a rare stamp issued in the 19th century during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was auctioned for 1.8 million yuan (about US$217,000) in 2001. The stamp, called a "One-Yuan Red Revenue Surcharged Small Issue", was collected by an American philatelist named Finegan in 1915. There are only 32 such stamps in existence in the world.

The reason for such high prices is partially due to the fact that the typical China stamp has always contained an incredible amount of detail and been manufactured under extremely high standards. These high standards have earned Chinese stamps broad recognition amongst avid stamp collectors over the years, and it is easy to appreciate the level of craftsmanship and creativity that go into each stamp.

Chinese culture has endured for thousands of years. Its stamps are soaked in history, and help to tell a story that has endured for generations without count.

Welcome to our site. We hope you will find this a useful place to discover more about this fantastic hobby, and that you get as much enjoyment out of it as all of us thousands of collectors worldwide. Continue reading

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Chinese stamps are tied closely to the rich history of China, and the many changes that have happened in government throughout the centuries. The first Chinese stamps were issued in 1878 after the opium wars allowed for Europeans to enter the country. China had been using a postal system for thousands of years before that, but 1878 is the year of the… Continue reading

The soundness of the stamp refers to the overall condition of the stamp.

Color fading, toning spots, staining, tears, creases, folds, repairs, re-perforations and changes made to the stamp all make up the grade of soundness to the stamp. A perfect stamp is considered faultless, while in order of less damage to more damage, the terms are:

• Very Minor Fault
• Minor Fault
• Fault
• Major Fault
• Damaged

• GEM

There are many ways to store stamps, but the one way which both displays the stamps and protects them from humidity is a stamp album, or a stockbook. The stockbook has a sleeve which the stamp slides into, and a thin paper that covers the page. The paper prevents humidity from deteriorating the stamps.

Depending on the climate you live in you may also need a sleeve