*************************************
The Postmaster General, Mr Luk Ping-chuen, announced today (October 26) that the first set of self-adhesive stamps ever produced in the Hong Kong postal history would be issued on November 18 (Sunday). The stamps adopt children as the theme.
"The hobby of stamp collecting is best developed from an early age. In order to stimulate children's interest in stamp collecting, Hongkong Post issues this special set of stamps to appeal to their creativity and innovation. Children are encouraged to stretch their imagination and participate in the making by colouring the stamps in the space left for the purpose - a breakthrough in the design of Hong Kong stamps," Mr Luk said.
The stamps are designed by Mr Kan Tai-keung and printed in lithography by Joh. Enschede Security Printers, the Netherlands.
Apart from this set of stamps which contains four denominations ($1.30, $2.50, $3.10 and $5.00), a souvenir sheet at $11.90 each and a special box shape presentation pack containing a set of four stamps at $20 per pack will also be available for sale at all post offices on November 18. Serviced first day covers at $15.40 each affixed with a full set of stamps cancelled with the special postmark will be available at the 38 philatelic offices on that day.
To further stimulate children's interest in stamp collecting and encourage creativity, Hongkong Post will organise the "Children Stamps - Ingenuous Artists Drawing Competition". The Competition is open to children of 12 years old or below (i.e. born in or after 1989).
Participants are required to send in their self-designed envelopes with the coloured Children Stamps by December 8. For details, please call 2921 6019, or visit our post offices or browse Hongkong Post Stamps website: http://www.hongkongpoststamps.com on or after October 29.
As from October 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 will be put on sale at all post offices at $ 1 each on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided first day covers will be accepted at all post offices from October 29 to November 5.
A restriction of ten sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps), twenty souvenir sheets, five serviced first day covers and five presentation packs per customer queuing will be imposed on the first day of issue on November 18 and on subsequent days until stock lasts.
All post offices (except the 3 mobile post offices) will open from 9 am to 2 pm on November 18 to provide a full range of counter service. Hand-back service will be provided on that day at all post offices to official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. A special postmark will be introduced. The GPO-1 hand stamp and pictorial postmark will also be available for hand-back service at all philatelic offices on that day.
The public hall of Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will also open from 9 am to 2 pm on that day for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the GPO-1 postmark as well as the special postmark.
End/Friday, October 26, 2001
NNNN
