1923 Pao Tzu Ku. 10c and 50c set of two, unused without gum as issued, v.f., rare, with 1985 Peter Holcombe certificate. These controversial stamps were probably printed in Zaozhuang and delivered to mostly foreign hostages held by Sun Meiyao, a bandit chief. The stamps were to be used on letters sent by these hostages. The 50c red is actually an error, as it was meant to be 5 cents (on May 6th, bandits under the leadership of Kuo Tsai-Chi derailed the Tientsin-Pukow Express and took prisoner 120 passengers, who were marched for 10 days into the Pao Tzu Ko Mountain, where they were held for ransom. Carl Crow, an American Red Cross representative organized a messenger service, with about 500 stamps printed to be used on letters) (Image)

Est.US$5,000