China 1898 Wei Hai Wei Courier Post (8 Dec) 2c black/scarlet, SG1.
A fine unused example.
An early Chinese rarity. Only 784 were originally printed with fewer examples surviving, particularly in fine mint condition.
Wei Hai-Wei is located in Shantung Province. Along with the nearby island of Liu Kung Tau, it was leased to Great Britain in July 1898. The postal services there were inadequate and G.L. Ferguson of Conabe & Co. introduced an overland courier post to Chefoo. Although Wei Hai-Wei was not a Treaty port its stamps are collected with the issues of those ports.
The Wei Hai-Wei courier post closed in March 1899 when a Chinese Imperial Post Office opened there.
Stanley Gibbons catalogue value: £1,000.
