News
14 September 2001
Special Stamp Issue "Hong Kong Herbs"
The Acting Postmaster General, Mr. Allan CHIANG , announced today (14 September 2001) that a set of special stamps on Hong Kong Herbs will be issued on Sunday, 7 October 2001. In search of simplicity, people nowadays turn more to Nature for natural medicines or tonics to combat illness and improve health. Herbs make up the majority of Chinese medicines that offer an answer to that quest and are therefore more valued than ever in the international arena. The stamps are designed by Mr. Clement YICK and printed in lithography by The House of Questa Ltd.
This set of special stamps consists of four denominations and depicts four species of commonly prescribed Chinese herbs growing in Hong Kong:
- $1.30 Centella asiatica
- $2.50 Lobelia chinensis
- $3.10 Gardenia jasminoides
- $5.00 Scutellaria indica
As from 17 September 2001, the stamps will be displayed for advance information of the public at the General Post Office , Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office , Tsuen Wan Post Office and Shatin 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 17 September 2001 to 24 September 2001.
A restriction of ten sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps), five serviced first day covers and five presentation packs per customer queuing will be imposed on the first day of issue on 7 October 2001 and on subsequent days until stock lasts.
Hand-back service will be provided at all post offices on 7 October 2001 to official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. A special postmark will be introduced. The GPO-1 hand stamp and pictorial postmarks will also be available for hand-back service at all philatelic offices on that day.
All post offices will open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on 7 October 2001 to provide a full range of counter service. At the same time, the public hall of Hongkong Post Stamps Philatelic Bureau will also open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on that day for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark , the GPO-1 postmark as well as the special postmark.
The enclosed photograph shows a set of four special stamps to be issued on 7 October 2001 on the theme of "Hong Kong Herbs".
The specimen impression of the special postmark to be introduced on 7 October 2001 on the theme of "Hong Kong Herbs".