Lot# 9016

airmail cover sent from Kutsing to Flint, Michigan, franked with sixteen Central China and South China Liberated Area stamps, totaling 11,800 yuan (RMB), tied by “Kutsing 1950.2.26” cds and with “Canton 50.2.28” transit, showing routing via Canton and Hong Kong, from where it was conveyed by Pan American Airways (PAA) on its transpacific route to the United States. This cover was mailed during the 2nd Postal Tariff Period of the RMB postal system (February 10 to March 4, 1950). At that time, the airmail rate to “Other Countries” (non-Asian destinations) had been increased from 10,800 yuan under the 1st Postal Tariff Period to 11,800 yuan, comprising 2,300 yuan for the first 20 grams of international surface postage plus an air surcharge of 9,500 yuan per 10 grams, for a total of 11,800 yuan. The postage was fully prepaid and correctly calculated. Originating from the third-class post office at Kutsing, located in a coastal region of Kwangtung known for its strong overseas connections, this cover reflects the historical role of Kwangtung and Fukien as key centers of emigration and international correspondence since the late Qing period. When international airmail service resumed in early PRC years, most outbound overseas correspondence originated from these traditional emigrant provinces. This cover serves as a representative example of a correctly rated airmail to North America during the 2nd Postal Tariff Period, posted from a small town yet adhering precisely to the new postal regulations. It demonstrates the efficiency and organizational coherence of the newly established postal administration, even at the grassroots level. Well-preserved and correctly franked, routed via Canton and Hong Kong, it illustrates both the practical application of the revised RMB postal system and the functioning of the emigrant communication network of South China. A rare and important postal history artifact from the early PRC period, of significant research and exhibition value in both postal and social history contexts.