Large Dragons (Large Dragon, Thin Paper) The First Stamps of China | 中国第一套邮票

Large Dragons (Large Dragon, Thin Paper) The First Stamps of China | 中国第一套邮票

Large Dragons (薄纸) — 普1.1

The First Stamps of China | 中国第一套邮票

🇬🇧 English

Large Dragons — Thin Paper

Stamp Title: Large Dragons (Large Dragon, Thin Paper)
Chinese Designation: 大龙邮票 · 普1.1 大龙薄纸
Date of Issue: 1878 (4th Year of Guangxu, Qing Dynasty)
Denominations: 1 Candarin (Green); 3 Candarins (Dark Red); 5 Candarins (Orange-Yellow)
Printing: Letterpress; hand-engraved copper plates
Paper: Unwatermarked semi-transparent thin paper
Perforation: P12.5
Stamp Spacing: 2.5mm
Sheet Layout: 25 (5×5) or 20 (4×5)
Printer: Statistical Department of the Inspectorate General of Customs, Shanghai

Known Varieties

3 Candarins: vertical pair with imperforate between (直双连中缝漏齿).

Note on Gum

The Large Dragons were originally issued with gum. Due to over 140 years of storage, many surviving examples have lost their gum entirely or retain only traces. “No gum” typically refers to the actual condition after decades of preservation, not the original factory state.

Background

In 1878, the Imperial Maritime Customs Postal Service began trial operations in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Yantai, and Niuzhuang (present-day Yingkou). The stamps feature a five-clawed dragon surrounded by clouds and waves. Because the design is larger than the later “Small Dragons,” it is known as the “Large Dragons.”

🇨🇳 中文

大龙邮票 · 普1.1 大龙薄纸

发行日期： 1878年（光绪四年）
面值： 1分银（绿）；3分银（暗红）；5分银（桔黄）
版别： 凸版印刷，铜质版模手工刻制
纸张： 无水印半透明薄纸
齿孔度数： P12.5
图距： 2.5mm
整版枚数： 25（5×5）或 20（4×5）
印刷厂： 上海总税务司署造册处

变体票

3分银：直双连中缝漏齿。

背胶说明

大龙邮票印制时刷有背胶。距今已逾140年，早期动物胶或植物胶极易受潮、发黄、脱落，许多存世实物背胶缺失或仅残留胶痕。收藏界所称“无背胶”通常指历经岁月后的真实保存状态，而非原厂无胶。

背景

1878年，清政府海关总税务司署在北京、天津、上海、烟台、牛庄（今营口）试办邮政。邮票图案为五爪金龙，衬以云彩水浪，票幅较后来发行的“小龙邮票”更大，故得名“大龙邮票”。