News
8 September 2003
Special Stamp Issue - Hong Kong, China - Sweden Joint Issue on Waterbirds
The Postmaster General, Mr. Allan CHIANG, announced today (8 September 2003) that a set of special stamps on Waterbirds depicting four species of wetland birds will be issued on Saturday (Public Holiday), 4 October 2003.
This is a joint stamp issue between Hongkong Post and Sweden Post and is the fourth joint stamp issue that Hongkong Post has organised with other postal administrations. The four species of waterbirds depicted are: Pied Avocet ($1.4), Horned Grebe ($2.4), Black-throated Diver ($3.0) and Great Crested Grebe ($5.0). These four species are significant representatives of wetland birds as they show their specialized morphological adaptations to wetland environments. All four species are found in Sweden, and with the exception of the Black-throated Diver, the other three have been sighted in Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay areas of Hong Kong.
The stamps are designed by Mr. Arde LAM and engraved by Mr. Czeslaw SLANIA. This issue is printed in intaglio and lithography by Sweden Post Stamps.
Information about associated philatelic products of this issue and the sales restriction starting from 4 October 2003 is as follows:
| Products | Unit Selling Price | Sales Restriction(per customer queuing) |
|---|---|---|
| Mint Stamps (4 denominations) |
$1.40, $2.40, $3.00, $5.00 | 10 sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps) |
| Presentation Pack (with full set of stamps) |
$20.00 | 5 packs |
| Souvenir Pack (with 2 sets of stamps (2 x 4 stamps) issued by Hongkong Post and Sweden Post respectively) |
$58.00 | 5 packs |
| Serviced First Day Cover with Hong Kong stamps (with full set of stamps cancelled by special postmark, only available at 39 philatelic offices on 4 October 2003) |
$15.30 | 5 covers |
| Serviced First Day Cover with Hong Kong stamps (with 2 sets of stamps (2 x 4 stamps) cancelled by special postmarks of Hongkong Post and Sweden Post respectively, only available at 39 philatelic offices on 4 October 2003) |
$50.00 | 5 covers |
| Prestige Stamp Booklet (with 2 sets of Hong Kong stamps) | $23.60 | 5 packs |
The stamps will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui PostOffice, Tsuen Wan Post Office and Shatin Central Post Office from 13 September 2003. Official First Day Covers at $1.00 each will be puton sale at all post offices on the same day. Advance orders for servicingself-provided souvenir covers will be accepted at all post offices from 13 to19 September 2003.
Hand-back service will be provided at all post offices on 4 October2003 for official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issueindication and a local address. A special postmark will also be introduced.
The GPO-1 postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and thephilatelic office pictorial postmarks will also be available for hand-backservice at all philatelic offices on that day.
All post offices (except mobile post offices) will open on 4 October 2003 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In addition, the public hall of the HongkongPost Philatelic Bureau will also open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. fordatestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the GPO-1postmark as well as the special postmark.
The enclosed photograph shows the Special Stamps to be issued on 4 October 2003 on the theme "Waterbird".
The enclosed photograph shows the specimen impression of the special postmark to be issued on 4 October 2003 on the theme "Waterbird".