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A set of special stamps on "Hong Kong Currency" which showcases selected currency circulated in HK during the past 140 years will be issued on September 2 (Thursday), the Acting Postmaster General, Mrs Joanna Choi, announced today (August 11).

The stamps are designed by Mr Benny Lau and printed in lithography by Joh Enschede BV, the Netherlands. This set of special stamps comprises four mint stamps, a souvenir sheet and a stamp sheetlet. The stamps depict:

$1.40 - the first HK coin (one mil, one thousandth of a dollar) cast in bronze in 1863.

$2.40 - the first coin (20 cents) cast in silver at the HK Mint in 1866.

$3 - the first note (one dollar) issued by the HK Government in 1935.

$5 -the gold coin issued to commemorate the establishment of the HKSAR in 1997.

The souvenir sheet contains one set of the four stamps. The stamp sheetlet embedded with another $5 stamp depicts the seven coins in circulation since 1993 and 1994 (10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, one dollar, two dollars, five dollars and 10 dollars), all of which feature HK's emblem, the Bauhinia.

Information about associated philatelic products of this issue and the sales restriction starting from September 2 are as follows:

* Mint Stamps (4 denominations)

Unit Selling Price: $1.40, $2.40, $3.00, $5.00

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer: 10 sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps)

* Souvenir Sheet (with 1 set of 4 stamps)

Unit Selling Price: $11.80

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer: 20 sheetlets

* Stamp Sheetlet (containing a $5 stamp)

Unit Selling Price: $5

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer: 20 sheetlets

* Presentation Pack (with 1 set of 4 stamps and a stamp sheetlet)

Unit Selling Price: $25

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer:5 packs

* Serviced First Day Cover affixed with a set of 4 stamps (only available at 39 philatelic offices on September 2)

Unit Selling Price: $15.30

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer: 5 covers

* Serviced First Day Cover affixed with a Souvenir Sheet (only available at 39 philatelic offices on September 2)

Unit Selling Price: $15.30

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer: 5 covers

* Serviced First Day Cover affixed with a Stamp Sheetlet (only available at 39 philatelic offices on September 2

Unit Selling Price: $8.50

Sales Restriction Per Queuing Customer:5 covers

The stamps will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office and Sha Tin Central Post Office from tomorrow (August 12). Official First Day Covers at $1.00 each will be put on sale at all post offices on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided souvenir cover will be accepted at all post offices from August 12 to 18.

Handback datestamping service will be provided at all post offices on September 2 for official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. A special postmark will also be introduced.

The "GPO-1" postmark, "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmarks will also be available for handback datestamping service at all philatelic offices on that day.

The public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will open from 9am to 5pm on September 2 for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the GPO-1 postmark and the special postmark.

Ends/Wednesday, August 11, 2004

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