Issued in 1948 during one of the most turbulent economic periods in modern Chinese history, this complete set of six surcharged airmail stamps is based on the earlier “Plane over the Great Wall” series, revalued in denominations of tens of thousands of Chinese dollars to reflect hyperinflation. The stamps depict the iconic Junkers F-13 aircraft flying above the rugged contours of the Great Wall, a symbol of endurance amidst national crisis. The surcharges are printed in both red and black within dotted-line frames, with corresponding textual overprints reading 改作萬圓 or 作圓萬, signifying the transition to new inflated currency units. The denominations range from 10,000 to 50,000 yuan, with color variations including red, blue, orange, olive, green, and steel blue. Printed using gravure by the Commercial Press Ltd. in Hong Kong and Dah Yeh Printing Co. in Shanghai, the stamps exhibit a variety of perforation gauges and show no watermark. The designs measure approximately 44 x 25 mm and were engraved to high typographic detail. These stamps are listed as Michel CN-IM 850–855, Scott C55–C60, Yvert PA39–PA44, Stanley Gibbons CN-IM 1022–1026, and China Stamp Society AM99–AM103. As genuine postal artifacts of the final days of the Republic before the Communist takeover, these stamps provide profound insight into the collapse of the monetary system and the desperate fiscal adaptations made by postal authorities. The presented examples are unused with full original gum, showing slight hinge marks on some, and display strong surcharge impressions. A historically rich and visually impactful series, it remains a highlight for collectors of Chinese airmail and overprint issues.
Estimate "$150 – 200"