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26 April 2002
Hong Kong, China and Canada jointly issue special stamps on Corals

The Postmaster General, Mr Luk Ping-chuen, announced today (April 26) that a set of special stamps on corals would be issued on May 19 (Sunday). This is a joint stamp issue between Hongkong Post and Canada Post and is the third joint stamp issue that Hongkong Post has organised with other postal administrations.
There will be four stamps in this issue. Two stamps feature corals found in Hong Kong and the other two depict those found in Canada. Each postal administration has prepared two stamp designs. The Canadian-designed stamps carry denominations of $1.40 and $2.40, whereas the $3 and $5 stamps carry Hong Kong designs. These stamps are:

$1.40 The North Atlantic Pink Tree Coral occupies the left side of this stamp. In its middle is the Pacific Orange Cup Coral while the North Pacific Horn Coral is on the extreme right.

$2.40 The North Atlantic Giant Orange Tree Coral is illustrated on the left of this stamp and a white unidentified species of Antipatharia is portrayed on the right.

$3.00 This stamp depicts two widely distributed and common soft coral from the Dendronephthya species in Hong Kong.

$5.00 This stamp depicts the Tubastrea (left) and Echinogorgia species (right), commonly found in the deeper waters of Hong Kong.

Mr Bon Kwan designs the stamps of $3 and $5 and the souvenir sheet. This issue was printed in lithography by Joh. Enschede Security Printers of the Netherlands using hexachrome colours.

Other associated philatelic products released with this issue and the sales restriction per customer queuing on the first day of issue on May 19 and on subsequent days until stock lasts are as follows.

Products	Descriptions	Unit Selling Price	Sales Restriction
Mint Stamps	In 4 values of $1.40, $2.40, $3 and $5, also available in panes of 25 stamps	$1.40, $2.40, $3.00, $5.00	10 sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps)
Souvenir Sheet	each containing one set of 4 stamps	$11.80	20 sheets
Presentation Pack	each containing the 4 stamps	$20	5 packs
Souvenir Pack	comprising the souvenir sheets issued by both Hongkong Post and Canada Post	$32	5 packs
Serviced first day covers	affixed with a full set of 4 stamps and cancelled with the special postmark, will be available at the 38 philatelic offices on May 19 only	$15.30	5 covers

Stamp products on the same subject issued by Canada Post will also be available for sale together with Hongkong Post's products at the same counters at the 38 philatelic offices on May 19. The Canada Post's products include a set of 4 stamps priced at HK$11, a souvenir sheet priced at HK$11, and a datestamped First Day Cover affixed with two stamps each issued by two postal administrations priced at HK$19.

As from April 29, 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 April 29 to May 6, 2002. \

Hand-back service will be provided at all post offices on May 19 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 postmarks should be used to cancel valid Hong Kong stamps only but not those issued by other postal administrations.

All post offices will open on May 19 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 for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the GPO-1 postmark as well as the special postmark.

The specimen impression of the special postmark to be issued on 19 May 2002 on the theme "Hong Kong, China -Canada Joint Issue on Corals".

The enclosed photograph shows the Souvenir Sheet to be issued on 19 May 2002 on the theme "Hong Kong, China - Canada Joint Issue on Corals".

The enclosed photograph shows the Mint Stamps to be issued on 19 May 2002 on the theme "Hong Kong, China - Canada Joint Issue on Corals".