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A set of Special Stamps entitled "Hong Kong, China - Austria Joint Issue on Fireworks" will be issued on August 22, 2006 (Tuesday), the Postmaster General, Mr Tam Wing-pong, announced today (July 28). This is the seventh joint issue of stamps by Hongkong Post with another postal administration.
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Watching a fireworks display is a captivating experience shared by people from different cultures. Hongkong Post and Austrian Post have jointly issued a set of two HK$5 stamps featuring impressive fireworks exhibitions. The stamp showing Hong Kong presents a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour with fireworks bursting overhead while the stamp showing Austria features a fireworks display in the Vienna Prater, a hunting preserve for the aristocracy opened to the public in 1766.
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Commenting on this special stamp issue, Mr Tam said Crystal Fabric had been applied to the two HK$50 stamps on the Stamp Sheetlet to highlight the bursts of fireworks. "This unique material makes light refraction possible and produces a glittering effect that cannot be found in other ordinary stamps, creating a collectible not to be missed," he said.
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The Hong Kong and Austria stamps are designed by Mr Arde Lam and Mr Adolf Tuma, respectively, and are printed in lithography by Austrian State Printing House, Austria. The Stamp Sheetlets are printed in photogravure with Crystal Fabric. The First Day Cover depicts a globe-shaped firework against a night sky and its refraction in the sparkling facets of the shimmering crystals surrounding it.
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The stamps will be displayed at the General Post Office and at the Tsim Sha Tsui , Tsuen Wan and Shatin Central post offices from August 1. Official First Day Covers at $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 August 1 to 7.
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A hand-back datestamping service will be provided at all post offices on August 22 for official and privately-made covers, bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. A special postmark will also be introduced. This will be available, together with the GPO-1 postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmark, for hand-back datestamping service at all philatelic offices on that day.
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Also on August 22, the public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will be open from 9am to 5pm. for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the GPO-1 postmark and the special postmark.
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Further information about this issue and the sale of associated philatelic products can be obtained from Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.com, at any post office, or by calling the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau hotline 2785 5711.
Ends/Friday, July 28, 2006
Issued at HKT 10:01
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