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Fact Sheet – Special Stamp Issuing Programme for 2010

There will be a total of 10 special stamp issues including 2 stamp sheetlets to be released in 2010, with highlights as described below.

The Year of the Tiger stamps featuring 4 different breeds of tiger and the gold and silver stamp sheetlet with Ox and Tiger, embossed and hot-foiled with genuine 22-karat and 24-karat gold as well as 99.9% pure silver, are must-have items for collectors of the Lunar New Year series.

Through the issue of special stamps, Hongkong Post captures the beauty of art created by the nature and the mankind. The historical architecture of Fujian Tulou makes the stamp sheetlet another precious collection to treasure in the Mainland Scenery series.

The wonderful range of stamp issues in 2010 also includes sets of stamp products with themes revolving around life in Hong Kong. Examples are “Characteristic Streets in Hong Kong” depicting 6 distinctive streets of individual character; “Biodiversity” with set of 4 stamps displaying images of species endemic to Hong Kong; “Centenary of Railway Service in Hong Kong” to celebrate this important milestone; and “Redevelopment of Old Areas” to highlight rehabilitation, revitalisation, preservation and redevelopment.

To celebrate two major events, a set of stamps and a stamp sheetlet will be issued to commemorate Hong Kong’s participation in Expo 2010 Shanghai China and Hongkong Post’s participation in London 2010 International Philatelic Exhibition respectively.

Two other stamp sets which are bound to gain attention will be “Children Stamps – Hong Kong In My Eyes” with a set of 4 stamps with winning pieces from the Stamp Design Competition on the theme held by Hongkong Post; and the joint issue with Qatar Post on sharing a similar philosophy of hospitality where Hong Kong serves Chinese tea whereas Qatar presents Arabic coffee.

Further details of individual stamp issue will be announced closer to the date of release.

Date / Month of Issue	Description
6 February 2010	Year of the Tiger The heroic tiger plays a leading role in the eleventh issue of the third Lunar New Year series issued by Hongkong Post. This set of 4 stamps illustrates 4 breeds of tigers in different postures ¬– sprinting, patrolling, gazing and lounging. A top-notch choice for collectors of the Lunar New Year Animals series! Other products include Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Ox/Tiger
March 2010 *	Mainland Scenery Series No. 9: Fujian Tulou Built in an old method of construction, Fujian tulou are cylindrical in shape, forming a unique large housing district in the mountains. Due to their long-standing cultural tradition, exceptional size and distinctive design, they were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2008. The stamp depicts a bird’s-eye view of tulou, whereas the stamp sheetlet shows a cluster of tulou set amongst terraced greenery with a structural drawing on the right, projecting this historical architecture from different angles.
27 April 2010	Hong Kong’s Participation in Expo 2010 Shanghai China A set of 4 stamps will be issued to commemorate Hong Kong’s participation in Expo 2010 Shanghai China.
8 May 2010	Stamp Sheetlet to Commemorate Hongkong Post’s Participation in London 2010 International Philatelic Exhibition In celebration of Hongkong Post’s participation in London 2010 International Philatelic Exhibition, Hongkong Post is issuing an exquisite stamp sheetlet.
24 June 2010	Characteristic Streets in Hong Kong As a melting pot where east meets west and tradition blends with modernity, Hong Kong has many streets of individual character. This set of stamps depicts 6 distinctive ones to constitute a set of 6 stamps. These snapshots give a sense of nostalgia to Hong Kong people.
15 July 2010	Biodiversity The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity to promote the awareness of ecological balance. In response to this meaningful endeavour, Hongkong Post dedicates this edition to living creatures inhabiting Hong Kong with a set of 4 stamps displaying images of species endemic to Hong Kong.
August 2010 *	Hong Kong, China – Qatar Joint Issue on Hospitality Qatar is an Arabic country on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia. Despite the geographical distance and cultural differences between Qatar and Hong Kong, the two places share a similar philosophy of hospitality. In this joint issue, traditional beverages are used to symbolise their warm greetings to guests. For instance, Hong Kong serves an aromatic Chinese tea whereas Qatar presents a strong Arabic coffee.
28 September 2010	Centenary of Railway Service in Hong Kong In celebration of the centennial birthday of the railway service, this special stamp issue of 6 different models of trains is issued to commemorate this important milestone. A special printing effect will be applied to the production of the stamp sheetlet, making this stamp issue ever more invaluable to train hobbyists and philatelists alike.
21 October 2010	Children Stamps – Hong Kong in My Eyes This set of special stamps features the winning pieces of the Children Stamp Design Competition 2009 – Hong Kong in My Eyes organised by Hongkong Post. The winning pieces are presented in a set of 4 stamps capturing the beauty of Victoria Harbour, a variety of local delicacies and the festivity of a dragon dance in colourful paint.
16 November 2010	Redevelopment of Old Areas In terms of heritage preservation, it involves maintaining the characteristics of old districts while invigorating them with modern elements. With this concept in mind, this set of 4 stamps is issued to highlight rehabilitation, revitalisation, preservation and redevelopment, in contrasting colours.

* The actual issue date of the special stamp issue will be announced closer to release.