1950 People's Republic of China Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) Postage Stamp

This is a used postage stamp from the People's Republic of China, specifically part of the 'Gate of Heavenly Peace' (Tiananmen) definitive series issued in the early 1950s. The stamp is printed in a monochromatic reddish-brown or carmine ink on an off-white paper substrate. The physical characteristics include standard rectangular dimensions with typical perforation gauging. The central artwork depicts a detailed engraving of the Tiananmen Gate, an iconic symbol of Chinese national identity. Notable textual markings include the denomination '50' followed by the character for 'Fen' (the currency unit) in the upper right, and the Chinese characters '中国人民邮政' (China People's Post) across the bottom. The condition of the stamp shows visible signs of usage, most notably a circular black ink postmark or cancellation stamp across the right side and bottom edge, which indicates the piece was 'postally used.' The paper exhibits some minor yellowing or oxidation consistent with its age, and the perforations show slight irregularities, though they appear generally intact without major tearing. The printing exhibits the fine-line detail characteristic of intaglio or letterpress techniques of the mid-20th century. This specific 50-fen denomination was a common value in early PRC postal history, representing the standard domestic or regional rates of the Maoist era.