Lot# 9090

the cover is franked with nine Southwest China Liberated Area “Rong” overprinted stamps, including one each of the 800-yuan and 1,000-yuan surcharges, plus seven of the 2,000-yuan value, making up the correct total postage of 15,800 yuan. This comprised 3,100 yuan for the first 20g of international surface postage and 12,700 yuan for the airmail surcharge via Hong Kong to Europe. The cover bears “Chengtu 50.6.14” cds with “Canton 50.6.25” transit on reverse. Posted from Chengdu, Sichuan to Yorkshire, England, this letter traveled a long route, first southward through Canton, and then forwarded via Hong Kong on a Pan American Airways (PAA) flight to Europe, representing a typical postal routing for early PRC international airmail. Posted soon after the nationwide postal unification under the People’s Post, this cover illustrates the transitional phase in Southwest China, when Liberation Area stamps were still accepted at revalued RMB denominations for international use. A representative postal history example of the period, it provides valuable evidence of Southwest China’s postal reorganization, early RMB postal rates, and Sino-European airmail exchanges, holding notable academic and exhibition significance.