posted 12-16-2018 05:12 PM               

Space Cover #495: Chinese space covers

Starting in 2000, the Chinese government made it an official policy to foster stamp collecting among youngsters — by encouraging elementary and high school teachers to organize clubs — as a way to foster interest in national history.

There are approximately 50 million philatelists in the world, and a full third of them reside in China. The country currently has almost 50,000 philately associations, and universities in Fujian and Jiangxi offer elective courses in stamp collecting.

Space cover collecting is very popular in China as well. When I attended Beijing '99, the annual international stamp show, I was showing two collectors, with whom I had traded covers for several years, three or four fake cancels: plugged 9 and Riser Fakes. Within 5 minutes I had about 20 Chinese collectors looking over my shoulder wanting to know more about space covers and asking questions about U.S. covers.

Years ago, I sold almost all the Chinese space covers that I had received in trade for some of my duplicate U.S. space covers and pulled in about $1200.

I have no doubt that the above two covers are, and will continue to be seriously wanted by Chinese collectors. The top one is for the launch of their first manned orbiting rocket. The lower one is for the second crewed flight with two "Taikonauts" aboard. The top one is signed by their first spaceman.

I believe that one of the crew of two signed the second cover, but even if not, the cover without the signature it is a great one to have.

Currently I have no plans to sell these. The demand is bound to go up exponentially to the amount of collectors in that country. It's not a bad time to pick up some of the early material while you still might be able to locate any.