Scott No: 681-683
Serial number: C98
Values in set: 3
Date of issue: May 5, 1963
Denomination: 24 fen
Designer: Sun Chuanzhe
Size of stamps: 27.5*48m
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 50(10*5)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

C98 "145th Anniversary of the Birth of Marx" commemorative stamps were issued on May 5, 1963. The set consists of 3 stamps, printed by photogravure, designed by Sun Chuanzhe, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 31 mm × 52 mm, perforation gauge 11.5, 50 stamps per sheet (10 × 5), with a total face value of 0.24 yuan for the set; all three stamps at 8 fen, with a circulation of 6 million copies each.

Theme of the Set

Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818, and 1963 marked the 145th anniversary of his birth. Marx and Engels jointly founded Marxism and wrote classic works such as the Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital, laying the theoretical cornerstone for the international proletarian revolution. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued this set on the birthday anniversary, using three pictures that progress layer by layer to present Marx himself, the militant slogan of proletarian unity, and the precious image of Marx and Engels working side by side, honoring Marx's immortal achievements for the cause of human liberation and highlighting the spirit of unity and struggle of the international workers' movement.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Portrait of Marx

The design is the standard half-length portrait of Marx, wearing a dark coat, with clear hair and beard and a calm, dignified expression, on a steady antique gold background. The stamp is marked with the years "1818–1963," highlighting the commemorative theme. It is the opening stamp of the set, shaping the classic image of the founder of scientific socialism.

Workers of the World, Unite!

With bright red as the main background color, the classic slogan "Workers of the World, Unite!" is printed vertically in the center in an antique, powerful font, surrounded by a fine border decoration, likewise marked with the commemorative year. This slogan comes from the end of the Communist Manifesto and is the landmark fighting call of the international communist movement, symbolizing the unity of proletarians worldwide.

Marx and Engels

The design recreates the scene of Marx and Engels working together in the study. The two sit around a desk piled with manuscripts and books, restoring the historical picture of their decades of close cooperation, joint study of theory, and side-by-side devotion to the revolutionary cause, embodying their great revolutionary friendship beyond the ordinary.

Artistic Design Features

The set uniformly adopts a vertical stamp format and a dignified, plain style, belonging to the classic 1960s portrait commemorative stamps on the theme of the international communist movement. The first stamp focuses on shaping the figure's portrait, using soft photogravure layers to express facial texture; the second discards the human figure and relies purely on text and the red background to set off the power of the slogan, with strong visual impact; the third uses a narrative scene, full of story quality. The three stamps form a complete narrative chain of portrait, programmatic slogan, and revolutionary comrades-in-arms.