Scott No: 1211-14
Serial number: N78-81
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: November 23, 1974
Denomination: 32 fen
Designer: Yang Baizi, Chen Chuanli
Engraver: Gao Pinzhang, Sun Hongnian
Size of stamps:
60*27mm for N78, N79, N80;
27*60mm for N81
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition:
35(5*7) for N78, N79, N80;
35(7*5) for N81
Printing process: Engraving and photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Numbered Stamps 78-81 "Industrial Products" numbered stamps were issued on December 23, 1974. The set consists of 4 stamps, printed by photogravure combined with engraving, designed by Yang Baizi and Cheng Chuanli, engraved by Gao Pinzhang and Sun Hongnian, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Nos. 78, 79, and 80 measure 60 mm × 27 mm, perforation gauge 11, 35 stamps per sheet; No. 81 measures 27 mm × 60 mm, perforation gauge 11, 35 stamps per sheet.

Theme of the Set

This is the last set of the numbered stamps, issued to display the achievements of independent research and development in the machinery manufacturing industry over the twenty-five years since the founding of New China. The four stamps respectively select four representative categories of domestically made equipment—power, agriculture, machine tools, and mining—all of which are finalized products independently designed and manufactured in China. They embody the construction achievements of China's independent development of the machinery industry and the establishment of a complete industrial system, and record the self-reliant development appearance of the equipment industry in the 1970s.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Dual Water-Internal-Cooling Turbine-Generator Unit

The main subject of the design is the 125,000-kilowatt dual water-internal-cooling turbine-generator unit, with power transmission towers and a plant silhouette in the background. This was a major electric power equipment achievement of China at the time, adopting the new water-internal-cooling technology with strong generating capacity, safeguarding electricity for industrial production and representing a breakthrough in the power industry.

Motorized Rice Transplanter

Against a green pastoral background, the design shows the complete structure of a motorized rice transplanter, with the machine equipped with walking wheels and transplanting components. It can replace manual transplanting, greatly reducing the intensity of paddy field labor, and is a modern agricultural machine serving agricultural production.

Universal Cylindrical Grinder

A red background sets off the precision machine tool, with a clear structure and complete control components. The universal cylindrical grinder is precision machining equipment used for the fine machining of metal workpieces; it is an indispensable mother machine of the machinery manufacturing industry and represents the level of the machine tool industry.

Open-Air Down-the-Hole Drilling Rig

In a vertical format, against a blue sky background, the tall open-air down-the-hole drilling rig stands erect, with a tall and large equipment structure. It is used for drilling operations in open-pit mining, supporting mining excavation projects, and is heavy equipment for mining development.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts the photogravure-plus-engraving process, with solid, delicate engraved lines and accurate, realistic depiction of equipment structures. The first three stamps are arranged horizontally and the last vertically, giving the layout variety; each stamp uses a different background color to distinguish the categories, simple and clean, highlighting the mechanical equipment itself. The four stamps cover electricity, agriculture, machinery, and mining, with a complete range of categories. It is a classic set on the heavy industry theme among the numbered stamps.