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21 December 2005
Hongkong Post issues special Lunar New Year stamps

The Postmaster General, Mr. Allan CHIANG, today announced that two special Lunar New Year stamp issues, "Year of the Dog" and "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Rooster / Dog", will be released on Sunday, 15 January 2006. A series of associated stamp products will also be available.

Year of the Dog

The "Year of the Dog" is the seventh Lunar New Year special stamp issue in the third series released by Hongkong Post.

Each of the four "Year of the Dog" stamps features a dog posed proudly against a richly coloured background. The mint stamps come in denominations of $1.40, $2.40, $3 and $5. Five-colour printing is used to capture the progression of light and shade, accentuating a three-dimensional effect by enhancing the image detail of the four dogs against a background embellished with silver foliage.

The stamps are designed by Mr. Bon KWAN and printed in lithography by Joh. Enschede B.V., the Netherlands.

Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Rooster / Dog

The "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Rooster / Dog" is also designed by Mr. Bon KWAN and is printed by Cartor Security Printing, France. These stamps feature the Rooster and the Dog, and are embossed and hot-foiled respectively with genuine 24-carat gold / 99.9% pure silver and genuine 22-carat gold / 99.9% pure silver. A certificate of authenticity is included, making the sheetlet a propitious souvenir for the Lunar New Year.

The "Rooster / Dog" Sheetlet is the sixth issue in Hongkong Post's Lunar New Year Animal series.

Commenting on these two special stamp issues, Mr. CHIANG remarked: "Hongkong Post's Lunar New Year stamps are always highly sought after by philatelists. We are one of the few postal administrations to produce stamps to commemorate Chinese New Year, and since our Lunar New Year stamp products are embossed and hot-foiled with genuine gold and pure silver they become a hot item for collectors. We are proud of these issues which mark the auspicious start of a new year in the Chinese calendar and are rated as some of the most desirable in stamp collecting circles."

The stamps and sheetlet will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin Central post offices from 23 December 2005. An Official First Day Cover of the Year of the Dog and an Official Souvenir Cover of the Gold and Silver stamp issues will be put on sale at $1.00 each at all post offices on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided souvenir covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from 23 December 2005 to 3 January 2006.

A hand-back datestamping service will be provided at all post offices (include the temporary Peak Post Office but except mobile post offices) on 15 January 2006 for official and privately-made covers, bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.

Two special postmarks will also be introduced. These will be available, together with the GPO-1 postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmark, for hand-back datestamping service at all philatelic offices on that day.

All post offices (include the temporary Peak Post Office except mobile post offices) will open on 15 January 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui and Airport post offices will maintain their normal Sunday operating hours from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In addition, the public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the"GPO-1" postmark, as well as the two special postmarks.

Further information about this issue and the sale of associated philatelic products can be obtained from Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.com, at any post office, or by calling the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau hotline 2785 5711.

First Day Cover text
Fact Sheet

The enclosed photograph shows "Year of the Dog" Special Stamp to be issued on 15 January 2006.

The enclosed photograph shows "Year of the Dog" Special Postmark to be issued on 15 January 2006.