XN000022-1977-08-07 — Page 7

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 1977

THE SMALLEST FACE VALUE POSTAGE STAMP ISSUED IN HONG KONG WAS A ONE CENT STAMP WHICH WAS PUT IN CIRCULATION IN 1903.

THE FIRST ISSUE OF POSTAGE STAMPS IN HONG KONG WAS MADE IN 1862. THE STAMPS FEATURED A PORTRAIT OF QUEEN VICTORIA AND THE LOWEST DENOMINATION IN THE SERIES WAS TWO CENTS.

ONE SUCH TWO CENT STAMP, ON A PARCEL WRAPPER SENT FROM YOKOHAMA TO SHANGHAI IN JULY 1865, AND CANCELLED WITH A SUNBURST POSTMARK, FETCHED $22,000

FETCHED $22,000 - MORE THAN A MILLION TIMES ITS ORIGINAL VALUE - IN AN INTERNATIONAL STAMP AUCTION HELD IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR.

SIZES OF STAMPS VARY, AND ARE MEASURED FROM PERFORATION TO PERFORATION. IN THE CURRENT DEFINITIVE SERIES THE LOWER VALUE STAMPS, FROM 10 CENTS TO $1, MEASURE 0.95 INCH BY 0.8 INCH AND THE HIGHER VALUES, $1.30 TO $20, MEASURE 1.310 INCHES BY 1.125 INCHES.

COMMEMORATIVE ISSUES ARE USUALLY 1.1 INCHES BY 1.75 INCHES BUT SOMETIMES. ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF OMNIBUS ISSUES SUCH AS FOR THE SILVER JUBILEE, A LARGER SIZE IS USED.

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