China postage stamps year 1945-48 Parcel Post lot

China postage stamps year 1945-48 Parcel Post lot In 1945, China’s postal system was undergoing massive disruptions due to the end of World War II, hyperinflation, and the transition of power. Because of this, “Parcel Post” stamps from this specific year are highly specialized and vary widely depending on the printing and region. In standard worldwide catalogs (like Scott or Stanley Gibbons), the 1944–1945 China Republic Parcel Post issues are typically listed under the “Q” section (e.g., Scott #Q1 to #Q27). Here are the main categories of 1945 Chinese Parcel Post stamps you might be looking at: The Dah Tung Printings (1944–1945) The most common base design for this era features a large, ornate frame with the Chinese characters for “Parcel Post” (包裹郵票) prominently displayed. The Design: They typically show the denomination in the center or bottom, often framed by decorative geometric patterns. Face Values: Because inflation was kicking in, face values started small (cents) but quickly climbed into thousands of dollars by late 1945 and 1946. Scott Catalog Range: Often grouped as Scott #Q11–#Q27. A full used set of these 17 stamps typically commands around $40 to $70 USD in today’s market, while individual common values sell for a few dollars. Surcharged / Overprinted Issues Because paper was scarce and inflation was moving faster than the printing presses, the postal administration frequently took older stocks of Parcel Post stamps (some dating back to the 1930s or early 1940s) and overprinted them with new, higher denominations. Look closely at the face of the stamp: if you see dark, heavy black or red ink stamped over the original numbers with a new price, you have a surcharged provisional issue. 3. Provincial & Japanese Occupation Issues (Ended 1945) Up until August 1945, parts of China were still under Japanese occupation or administered by regional collaborationist governments (like North China or the Mengchiang region). These administrations regularly overprinted Chinese Republic parcel post stamps with small regional characters (e.g., restricting their use to a specific province like Shansi, Shantung, or Hopei). Value Tip: Authentic regional overprints on parcel post stamps can sometimes carry a higher premium for specialized collectors of Chinese postal history than the basic national issues.