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Souvenir stamp sheets to mark Olympic Games opening
A souvenir stamp sheet will be issued on July 19 to commemorate the official opening of the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA, the Postmaster General, Mr Robert Footman, said today (Tuesday).
The sheet complements the first souvenir sheet issued on March 20 and when the two are placed together, a complete set of Olympic rings and a complete Olympic medal will be formed. Each sheet includes the four Olympic Games special stamps issued on March 20,
In response to philatelic demand, the four Olympic Games special stamps will be re-issued on July 19. However, the colour used for the denomination indication, the Royal Cypher, the Olympic rings and the inscription "Hong Kong" will be different.
In addition, images of the athletes in action as depicted on the stamps are reproduced in grey on the selvedges of the stamp sheets and an indication that the Hong Kong Post Office is the sponsor of the Hong Kong Olympic Team is printed on the gutter of each stamp sheet.
The souvenir sheets and 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 Sha Tin Central Post Office from Friday (July 12).
Official souvenir covers will be on sale at $1 each at all post offices from the same day. Advance order for serviced souvenir covers will be accepted from then July 17 at all post offices. The minimum number of serviced souvenir covers per order is five.
A restriction of 20 souvenir sheets and two sheets of each stamp denomination (that is 100 sets of stamps) per customer queuing will be imposed on the first day of sale on July 19.
In view of the favourable customer response to the early opening of 20 district post offices in the territory on the occasion of the first day of issue of the Archaeological Finds of Hong Kong special stamps on June 26, a total of 23 post offices as follows will again open at 8 am on July 19, including three which already open at 8 am on normal weekdays:
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