News
2 June 2001
"Hong Kong, China and Australia Joint Stamp Issue on Dragon Boat Races"
The Postmaster General, Mr. P.C. LUK, announced today (2 June 2001) that a set of special stamps on Dragon Boat Races would be issued on Monday, 25 June 2001, which is the Dragon Boat Festival day. This is the second joint stamp issue Hongkong Post as organised with other postal administrations. The first joint issue was released on 1 July 1999 with Singapore Post on the theme of Tourism. The two special stamps of the current joint issue feature Dragon Boat Race. The stamps are designed by Mr. KAN Tai-keung and printed in lithography y Australia Post Sprintpak in Australia.
This issue contains two $5.00 special stamps and a $10 souvenir sheet comprising the two stamps. The background of the two special stamps shows the major landmarks at the harbours of both Hong Kong and Australia, namely the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre nd the Sydney Opera House . With dragon boat rowers in motion as the main focus, the stamps portray the festive atmosphere and excitement of dragon boat races.
The enclosed photograph shows a souvenir sheet to be issued on 25 June 2001 on the theme of "Dragon Boat Races".
As from 4 June 2001, the stamps and souvenir sheet will be displayed for the advance information of the public at the General Post Office , Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office , Tsuen Wan Post Office and Sha Tin Central Post Office Official first day covers will be put on sale at all post offices at $ 1 each on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided first day covers will be accepted at all post offices from 4 June 2001 to 11 June 2001.
Serviced first day covers at $13.50 each affixed with a full set of stamps cancelled with the special postmark will be available at the 38 philatelic offices on 25 June 2001.
Stamp products on the same subject issued by Australia Post will also be available for sale together with Hongkong Post's products at the 38 philatelic offices, on 25 June 2001. They include a set of two stamps priced at $7 per set, a souvenir sheet priced at $7 and a serviced first day cover priced at $8.
Other associated philatelic products to be issued with the new stamps include two presentation packs. The first one contains a souvenir sheet issued by Hongkong Post and will be sold at $18 each whereas the other one comprising the souvenir sheets issued by both Hongkong Post and Australia Post will be sold at $28 each.
All post offices will open on 25 June 2001 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. providing a full range of normal counter services. A restriction of ten sheets of each stamp (viz. 250 sets of stamps), twenty souvenir sheets, five serviced first day covers, five presentation packs and five units of each of the products issued by Australia Post per customer queuing will be imposed on the first day of issue on 25 June 2001 and on subsequent days until stock lasts.
Hand-back service will be provided at all post offices to official and privately- made covers bearing the first day of issue indication on 25 June 2001. This service is only available to the stamp products issued by Hongkong Post. A special postmark will also be introduced. The GPO-1 hand stamp and "Hongkong Post Stamps" pictorial postmark ill also be available for hand-back service at all philatelic offices on that day. The public hall of Hongkong Post Stamps will also open for datestamping covers with the "Lantau Link" ) pictorial postmark from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 25 June 2001.
Mr. LUK added that there would be no mail delivery on 25 June 2001. However, one mail collection would be arranged for all street posting boxes except those which are located on outlying islands and in remote areas.
The specimen impression of the special postmark of "Dragon Boat Races" to be introduced on 25 June 2001.