Lot# 9082

posted from Harbin on May 24, 1951, this cover was routed via Canton on May 30 and delivered to Los Angeles, California. It is franked with a combination of five Northeast China Liberated Area stamps and one R series issue, totaling ¥13,526.32 (Old RMB equivalent), slightly overpaid. The correct postage at the time should have been ¥13,000, consisting of ¥2,500 for the first 20g international letter rate and ¥10,500 for the airmail surcharge per 10g to “Other Countries”. The postage calculation reflects the complex currency situation of the period: five NE L.A. stamps totaling ¥52,500 (Northeast currency) were converted at the official exchange rate of 1:9.5, equivalent to ¥5,526.32 (Old RMB), combined with one ¥8,000 Old RMB Tian’anmen stamp, giving a total of ¥13,526.32. The cover bears “Harbin 51.5.24” cds and with “Canton 30.5.51” transit on reverse. This item was posted during the 2nd Postal Period (May 1 - June 30, 1951), a key transitional phase in the unification of China’s postal and monetary systems. At this time, postal accounting nationwide was standardized in Old RMB, yet the Northeast region was still temporarily authorized to use its surcharge issues, allowed to mix with Old RMB stamps at the 1:9.5 conversion rate. Because exact conversion was difficult, overfranking occurred frequently, as shown in this example. This cover is an exceptionally rare airmail letter to the United States franked with both Northeast and standard People’s Post issues. It vividly demonstrates the practical challenges of postal operation during the currency transition and system integration of early PRC, providing valuable evidence of the unification of China’s postal currency system and the development of early international airmail routes. It is an outstanding piece of postal history with significant research and exhibition value.