Special Stamp Issue - "Charming Chinese Lanterns"

Mini-pane

Souvenir Cover Gift at Ko Shan Theatre Sales Booth

Yuanxiao falls on 12 February 2006 (Sunday) and Hongkong Post, China Post and Macao Post are each issuing a set of special stamps in celebration. This set of "Charming Chinese Lanterns" stamps is the sixth joint issue by the three postal administrations on a common theme. The three stamps issued by Hongkong Post are the Lotus Fairy Lantern (HK$1.40), the Narcissus Lantern (HK$1.80) and the Peacock Lantern (HK$2.40), complemented by a stamp sheetlet (HK$5) depicting young boys holding a dragon lantern high in a festive dance.

The stamps create a brilliant illusion of a lantern inset by superimposing a lantern silhouette over an illuminated lantern. The character font has an echo of seal script, which lends a touch of classical elegance to the stamps. And to enhance the theme, fluorescent ink is applied, which makes the stamps glow under ultraviolet light. The sheetlet is further enlivened with lantern riddles incorporated for those who wish to test their mental agility.
The stamps and sheetlet will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office and Sha Tin Central Post Office from 20 January 2006. Official First Day Covers at HK$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 39 philatelic offices from 20 January 2006 to 1 February 2006.

All post offices (including the temporary Peak Post Office except mobile post offices) will be open on 12 February 2006 (Sunday) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office and Airport Post Office will maintain their normal Sunday operating hours from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Hand-back datestamping service will be provided at all post offices (including the temporary Peak Post Office except mobile post offices) on 12 February 2006 (Sunday) for official and privately-made covers, bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. A special postmark will also be introduced and available for hand-back service at all post offices. In addition, the "GPO-1" postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmark will be available for hand-back service at 39 philatelic offices on that day.

Also on 12 February 2006 (Sunday), the public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau on 1/F., Trade Square, 681 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the "GPO-1" postmark and the special postmark.

A sales booth will also be set up at the "2006 Urban Region Spring Lantern Carnival" organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, at Ko Shan Road Park and Ko Shan Theatre, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on 12 February 2006. Philatelic products of "Year of the Dog" and "Charming Chinese Lanterns" will be put on sale on the sales booth. To celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival, an Souvenir Cover affixed with "I Love You" Alphabet Stamps and datestamped with a 12 February 2006 Philatelic Bureau pictorial postmark will be available for any purchase over HK$30 on a first-come-first-served basis. To commemorate Hongkong Post's participation to this event, a special designed sticker will also be awarded to customers for any purchase at the sales booth while stock lasts.

Information about philatelic products associated with this issue and sales restriction per queuing customer starting from 12 February 2006 are as follows:

Remarks:

1. The above philatelic products have been included in the 2006 Local Standing Order Service.
2. For 2006 Local Standing Order Service customers who have successfully ordered the "Datestamped Special Souvenir Cover - Stamp Exhibitions", please note that the souvenir cover of "China Philatelic Association 60th Anniversary Stamp Exhibition" will be collected together with the "Charming Chinese Lanterns" stamp products.

Stamp Printing Details

Stamp Sheetlet

Presentation Pack

Serviced Maximum Cards

Souvenir Pack

Special Postmark

Serviced First Day Cover affixed with Stamps

Serviced First Day Cover affixed with a Stamp Sheetlet

* Information provided in this link is subject to change.