The U.S. stamp that’s in demand by Chinese collectors

By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller 

Last week, we tipped mint never-hinged panes of 50 of the United States 4¢ Dr. Sun Yat-sen commemorative stamp (Scott 1188), based on its popularity with Chinese collectors.

However, there is another U.S. stamp even more in demand by Chinese collectors: the 5¢ Chinese Resistance commemorative issued July 7, 1942 (Scott 906).

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The stamp was issued following the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to show support for China, which had been battling the Japanese invaders since 1937. The stamp’s design features a map of China with inset portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Chinese founding father Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

Many U.S. stamps issued during this period can still be found in dealers’ discount postage boxes. But the 2017 Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers values the stamp in mint never-hinged condition at $3.

Chinese president honored on in-demand U.S. stamp: Dr. Sun Yat-sen was a nationalist revolutionary who led the movement to overthrow the last emperor of China and establish a republic.

However, the great demand is for mint panes of 50, which are selling at $350 to $400. We last tipped this mint pane of 50 in the Sept. 17, 2012, Stamp Market Tips. If you find a mint pane at the lower end of that price range, it is a good buy. As always, when buying mint panes, look for an example without perforation separation.

The Scott U.S. Specialized catalog values plate-number blocks of four in mint never-hinged condition at $20. There is some demand for these as well, selling in the $10-to-$15 price range.  

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