The list of the top Chinese stamps, sold on public stamp auctions during last years.
1. $474,000, 2009, Hong Kong. The large version of The Whole Country is Red stamp, two times bigger than the original one, was sold in 2009 in Hong Kong. The stamp, issued in 1968 during the Cultural Revolution, has a printing error. The map was not colored properly and was stopped selling and returned from post offices. Only a small quantity went to collectors.
2. $333,382.00, 2009. The 1897 Red Revenue Small One Dollar Surcharge was a revenue stamp used as a postage stamp after being surcharged with the “One Dollar” wording. It was the first surcharged stamp during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911). Only two sheets of 50 stamps were surcharged. The surcharge size was too small and was replaced with a bigger one. Only one used stamp, cancelled with the PaKua cancellation, is know now.
3. $276,000.00, December 2010, Cherrystone. China 1925 surcharged in red on second Peking printing 3 Cts on 4c slate-gray, surcharge inverted error, used.
4. $172,500.00, December 2010, Cherrystone. 1923 surcharged in red on first Peking printing 2 Cts on 3c blue-green, surcharge inverted error.
5. $138,000.00, December 2010, Cherrystone. China 1896 unsurcharged Red Revenue stamp, 3c red, perf. 14, never hinged.
6. $120,750.00, December 2010, Cherrystone. China 1941 Dr. Sun Yat-sen New York Print $2 black and blue, variety center inverted.
7. $115,000.00, December 2010, Cherrystone. China 1915 Hall of Classics First Peking Printing $2 black and blue, variety center inverted.