The Battle Over a Monkey Stamp: Drama "Monkey Stamp" Now Streaming on iTalkBB

Centering around the rare 1980 "Gengshen Monkey" zodiac stamp, this story follows factory worker Jian Weiguo and Beijing girl Wang Meili as they navigate life's complexities.

Set against China's economic reforms, the series depicts dramatic social changes where state-owned enterprises restructured, leaving many workers unemployed - yet creating golden opportunities for others. Through interconnected stories of representative characters from the mid-80s to early 90s, "Monkey Stamp" weaves their relationships around a priceless "misprinted monkey stamp." Some characters stay true to their values, others lose themselves in materialism, and a few even commit crimes for the stamp. More than a battle over philately, this drama reflects an era and explores human nature.

China's first zodiac stamp issued in 1980 has become a philatelic treasure. At the 3rd China International Collectibles Expo in Nanjing, a full sheet of 1980 Monkey Stamps sold for 1.75 million yuan (about $201,250 with commission), representing a 200,000-fold appreciation from its original value.

The "Gengshen Monkey" stamp dominates the zodiac stamp market for two reasons: First, its exquisite design by master artists - Huang Yongyu (original painting), Shao Bolin (design), and Jiang Weijie (engraving). As China's first zodiac stamp, it features remarkably lifelike monkey eyes and fur texture. Second, its scarcity - with estimated issuance between 3.6-8 million (officially recorded as 5 million in 2003 stamp catalogues), but many were destroyed due to printing issues. Most sheets were distributed to post offices nationwide and torn into singles, making intact sheets extremely rare. Later zodiac stamps had larger print runs, never achieving such rarity. While the drama features a fictional "misprinted" version, no such variant has been confirmed in the market. An exciting storyline worth anticipating!

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