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1932

1933

1934

1935

1936

1937

1938

1939

1940

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1943

1944

1945

Airmail

Revenues

Imprinted Postcards

Seals & Labels

State of Manchukuo (First Regular Issue)

This is the first set of stamps representing the new state of Manchukuo. The stamps went on sale on 26th July 1932, and the set contains eighteen values. Looking at the list of postal charges shown below it hard to see how some values would have been used, which might mean that the level of pricing had not been agreed at the time of printing.

The stamps were lithograph printed on un-watermarked white paper in sheets of 100 by the Japanese Government Printing Office in Tokyo. Designs by Mr Yutaka Yoshida. A number of presentation folders were made for this issue which are sought after by collectors.

The stamps are 18.8mm x 22.5mm. Perf 13 x 13½.

The ½fen to 10fen depict the White Pagoda at Liao Yang (over 75m tall and South of Mukden)  the remainder of the issue 13fen to 1Yuan show Pu Yi, later to become Emperor Kang-teh. Note that this issue has five characters in the top banner reading "Manchu State Postal Administration".

11,500,000

42,500,000

The first 2000 sheets of each value had an imprint of 14 characters 大日本帝國國政府内閣印刷局製造 which read "Manufactured by the Imperial Japanese Cabinet Printing Bureau" (Dainippon Teikoku Seifu Insatsukyoku Seizō). This imprint occurred at the centre of the bottom margin. A block of stamps with the margin containing all 14 characters is considered very desirable by collectors.

A 5f light blue can sometimes be found in collections. This is not a variety, the colour of these has been chemically altered to make them attractive to collectors.

The First Special Presentation Album

Above is the cover of the first Special Presentation Booklet issued for use by U.P.U. members and as gifts for important officials. Inside are three pages with samples of the 18 stamps in the above set, plus three further pages with samples of a 1f, 2f, and 15f postcard. To see the booklet in detail please click here.

Postal Rates - 26th July 1932 to 31st December 1933

(Note - The rates for additional services shown below are are based upon the basic letter or postcard rate "plus" the additional service ie; a domestic registered letter is 4f plus the 6f registration fee making a total fee of 10f).

Note; The Chinese Post Office in Manchuria was subjected to serious harassment from the Japanese and ceased to work in Manchukuo on 24th July 1932 (for more information about this click here). After the Japanese takeover Chinese stamps were valid for postal use in Manchukuo until 7th September 1932.

The First Commemorative Cancellation - Mukden Post Office  (Zirkle 1) This is a complete set of the First Regular Issue from Manchukuo with the First Commemorative Cancellation. Issued 18th to 19th September 1932 it commemorates the first anniversary of the notorious Mukden Incident. This cancellation only occurs in this colour.

Note the use of the 元 Yuan character. 元年 Chinese: Yuan nian = the first year of an emperor’s reign. Chinese date: 大同元年 Datong Yuan nian (the First year of Kang Teh) in Japanese: 大同元年 Datong Gannen (the First year of Kang Teh).

The General Su Ping-Wen Overprint

General Su Ping-Wen mutinied against the Government of Manchukuo and Japanese rule on 27th September 1932. Initially he was quite successful and was able to capture and hold the towns of Hailar and Manchouli before being forced to retreat with his army into Russia in December of the same year. The railway to Siberia runs through Manchouli and as a consequence of the occupation, mail to Europe from Manchukuo had to be diverted via America or Canada, or else via Suez.

During the time General Su Ping-Wen was in control he required post offices within the captured area to overprint stamps with a wooden chop - four characters reading "Chinese Postal Administration". This chop was applied in black or vermillion and was intended to be placed over the five characters at the top of the first regular issue stamps that read "Manchu State Postal Administration".

There is no record of how many stamps with this overprint were issued, but what is certain is that for every genuine overprint many fakes exist. The stamp shown below is likely to be an example of this and any stamps that you might find with a similar chop should be treated with suspicion.