250 Grams - Jiangsu Province Food Stamp

Chinese provincial food stamps (liangpiao) occupied an awkward administrative position — issued by grain bureaus rather than financial authorities, they carried real purchasing power but sat entirely outside the banking system. Jiangsu's 1986 series was produced during the final years of the national rationing infrastructure, which the State Council formally began dismantling in 1991 for most urban commodities.

The 250-gram denomination reflects actual ration arithmetic: monthly household allocations were calculated in jin and liang, so stamps were printed in units that matched the distribution tables exactly. Collectors should note that Jiangsu grain stamps from this period were frequently bundled and stored in bureau offices rather than returned for destruction, which accounts for the relatively high survival rate in unissued blocks.