This 1897 2 cent green stamp belongs to the Empress Dowager’s Birthday issue, famously surcharged during the transitional period between Imperial and Republican postal systems. Featuring a centrally placed overprint in small figures, this provisional issue was created by applying a black “2 cents.” surcharge on a 1 candarin green base stamp originally engraved with a dragon motif, symbolizing authority and longevity in Qing iconography. Lithographed by the Statistical Department of Customs in Peking, the stamp is unwatermarked and typically perforated 14 to 15. These surcharged issues reflect the reforms introduced under the new postal system modeled on Western practices, officially inaugurated in early 1897. This specimen is cataloged as Scott IM 30, Michel CN-IM 18II, Yvert CN 18, Stanley Gibbons CN-IM 39, and CSS CN-IM 45. The present example is very fine used with a partial strike of a brown circular cancellation, solid centering, and intact perforations. Estimate "$120 – 150".