News
21 December 2001
Special Stamp Issue "Year of the Horse"
The Postmaster General, Mr Luk Ping-chuen, announced today (December 21) that a set of special stamps on the theme of Year of the Horse would be issued on January 13, 2002 (Sunday). The stamps are designed by Mr Bon Kwan and printed in lithography by The House of Questa Ltd.
There are four stamps in this set of stamps and it is the third set in the current series of Lunar New Year special stamps released by Hongkong Post commencing with the Year of the Dragon in 2000.
These stamps are: $1.30; $2.50; $3.10 and $5.00. The stamp designs apply Chinese paper cutting to the portrayal of the energetic Horse with a new perspective.
Other associated philatelic products released with this issue include a souvenir sheet at $11.90 each; a set of four picture cards at $20 per set with airmail postage prepaid; a presentation pack at $20 each containing four stamps and an imperforated stamp sheetlet with a $5 stamp.
As from December 24, 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 at $1 each will be put on sale at all post offices on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided souvenir covers will be accepted at all post offices from December 24 to 31.
Serviced first day covers at $15.40 each affixed with a full set of stamps and cancelled with the special postmark will be available at the 38 philatelic offices on that day.
A restriction of ten sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps), twenty souvenir sheets, twenty imperforated stamp sheetlets, five serviced first day covers, five sets of picture cards and five presentation packs per customer queuing will be imposed on the first day of issue on January 13, 2002 and on subsequent days until stock lasts.
Hand-back service will be provided at all post offices on January 13, 2002 to official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. A special postmark will also be introduced. The GPO-1 datestamp and pictorial postmarks will also be available for hand-back service at all philatelic offices on that day.
All post offices will open on January 13, 2002 to provide a full range of counter services. The opening hours will be from 9 am to 2 pm. At the same time, the public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will also open from 9 am to 2 pm 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 13 January 2002 on the theme of "Year of the Horse".
The specimen impression of the special postmark to be introduced on 13 January 2002 on the theme of "Year of the Horse".