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The Postmaster General, Mr Tam Wing-pong, announced today (January 7) that a set of special stamps on the theme of Year of the Rat will be issued on January 26. A series of associated stamp products will also be put on sale from the same date.
The set of "Year of Rat" special stamps adopts five-colour printing to enhance the gradation of light and shade and accentuate the three-dimensional effect, and to highlight the image detail of the rats against a background embellished with silver foliage. In addition, a stamp sheetlet with two stamps featuring the Pig and the Rat embossed and hot-foiled with genuine gold and 99.9% pure silver, will come with a certificate of authenticity, making the sheetlet a precious gift for the Lunar New Year.
The stamps and stamp sheetlet will be displayed at the General Post Office and Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan and Shatin Central post offices from Saturday (January 12).
Official First Day Covers for the ˇ§Year of the Ratˇ¨ special stamps, together with the Official Souvenir Covers for the ˇ§Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals ˇV Pig/Ratˇ¨, will be put on sale at $1 each at all post offices as from Saturday (January 12). Advance orders for servicing self-provided covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from January 12 to 18.
On Saturday, January 26, all post offices (excluding mobile post offices) will extend their business hours. For the 37 philatelic offices, the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office and Airport Post Office will maintain their normal full-day operating hours and the other 33 philatelic offices will be open from 9am to 5pm. As for Yuen Long Post Office, it will open for business from 8am to 5pm. The remaining non-philatelic offices will be open from 9am to 2pm whereas the Lamma Post Office will open for business at 8.30 am as usual.
Further information about this issue and the sale of associated philatelic products can be obtained from Hongkong Postˇ¦s website at www.hongkongpost.com, at any post office, or by calling the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau hotline 2785 5711.
Ends/Monday, January 7, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:57
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