1968 8f Chairman Mao’s ‘Inscription to Japanese Worker Friends’.
Considered to be one of the great rarities of the Cultural Revolution.
An iconic stamp that was prepared for use but not issued.
In 1962 Chairman Mao received a delegation of Japanese workers sympathetic to the Communist ideas of his China. In response to this Mao wrote an ‘inscription’ to Japanese workers to encourage them in their quest to bring Communism to Japan.
In 1968, on the sixth anniversary of the workers visit, it was decided that this inscription would be committed to a stamp and issued throughout China. The Japanese government heard of this and strongly objected on the basis it might inspire an uprising. China complied with this and the stamp was officially withdrawn from issue.
It was customary for the Chinese to issue stamps well in advance of their official release so they had already been sent out. Whether because of an administrative error or a calculated decision some stamps had been sold to the public at a post office in Hubei Provence before the message had been. received. These stamps have become one of the greatest rarities of Chinese stamps from the Peoples Republic era.
To highlight the importance of these stamps. In 2011 a block of 4 of these stamps sold at auction in Hong Kong (by InterAsia auctions) for a record $1,151,630!
China 1968 PRC GEN ISSUES SG Yang W84 8f Mint
One fractionally short perf at left mentioned for accuracy only. Very fresh unmounted with original gum.
Guide Price £70,000.00
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