XN000022-1973-05-10 — Page 4

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Thursday, May 10, 1973

NEW SERIES OF HONG KONG STAMPS

A new colourful set of Hong Kong stamps is to be issued on June 12

to replace the existing definitive set which has been in use for the past

13 years.

A Post Office spokesman said today that the current set was introduced

in 1962 and, except for the issue in 1968 of two replacement stamps for the

65 cent and $1 denominations, has remained unchanged.

The main design feature of the new stamps is a plaster cast of

Another feature will be a panel

the head of the Queen by Arnold Machin.

of flowers freely adapted from a Chinese carved brown lacquer tray from

the 17th century or earlier. This panel will run up the left side of the

stamps.

The spokesman pointed out that although the Machin head was

previously used for the Cross Harbour Tunnel stamp and has also been used

in silhouette on various stamp issues of other countries, it is the first

time that it has been made the main feature on a stamp.

The background colour of the new stamps will also run from perforation

to perforation, instead of being enclosed in a white border as at present.

There will be 14 denominations in the new issue, one less than in

the current series, due to the elimination of the five cent stamp.

The nine values up to and including $1 are monochrome and the

five romaining higher values are in two colours. All the stampa will be

in the vertical format.

Their exact ...