Lot# 9080

posted from Harbin on April 10, 1951, to Douala, Cameroon, this cover is franked with four Northeast China Liberated Area stamps, totaling 125,000 yuan, correctly paying the combined rate of 25,000 yuan for the first 20 g international surface postage plus 100,000 yuan airmail surcharge per 10g to “Other Countries.” The cover bears “Harbin 51.4.10” cds on front and “Canton 16.4.51” and “Dakar 26.4.51” transits on reverse, confirming routing via Canton, Hong Kong (unmarked), and Dakar, French West Africa, before final delivery at Douala, Cameroon. It was mailed during the first postal period (Apr 1 - Apr 30, 1951), a transitional phase in which the Northeast postal district, under national postal directives, continued to account postage in Northeast currency while the RMB system was being fully implemented. At that time, the use of old People’s Post stamps alongside Northeast issues was officially permitted at an exchange rate of 1 RMB = 9.5 Northeast yuan. However, as Northeast issues were relatively less costly, most postal users preferred them, as in this case, franked entirely with Northeast stamps at the correct rate. According to current postal history research and exhibition records, this is the only known airmail cover sent from Northeast China to Cameroon. It represents a remarkable and historically important example of early PRC international airmail service, routed through Hong Kong and carried by Air France on its West African line. With accurate franking and a complete postal routing, the cover vividly illustrates how, even on the eve of full currency unification, China maintained reliable international airmail operations. A highly significant postal history artifact for the study of the RMB transition period and early PRC international airmail development, of exceptional research and exhibition value.