XN000022-1987-01-02 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1987

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SPECIAL STAMPS TO MARK YEAR OF RABBIT

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A NEW LUNAR NEW YEAR SPECIAL STAMP SERIES, COMMENCING WITH THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT, WILL BE ISSUED BY THE POST OFFICE ON JANUARY 21 (WEDNESDAY).

THIS FOLLOWS THE POPULAR FIRST SERIES 188UED BETWEEN 1967 AND 1978.

THE STAMPS, DESIGNED BY MR KAN TAI-KAN, DEPICT VARIOUS POSTURES OF A RABBIT IN AN EMBROIDERY STYLE.

+ORNAMENTAL EMBROIDERY HAS BEEN A POPULAR PASTIME IN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY FOR MANY CENTURIES AND THE ADORNMENT IT PROVIDES GIVES A FEELING OF PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS,+ A POST OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+FOR THIS REASON, MANY EMBROIDERY ITEMS ARE CREATED FOR FESTIVE AND RITUAL USE, ESPECIALLY DURING NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS.+

THE STAMPS ARE IN DENOMINATIONS OF 50 CENTS, $1.30, $1.70 AND $5. A SOUVENIR SHEET CONTAINING A SET OF THE FOUR STAMPS WILL ALSO BE ISSUED AT $8.50 EACH.

THE STAMPS WILL BE ON DISPLAY FOR TWO DAYS FROM TOMORROW (SATURDAY) AT THE GROUND FLOOR ENTRANCE ARENA OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN PLAZA. FROM JANUARY 7 (WEDNESDAY) ONWARDS, THEY WILL BE SHOWN AT THE PHILATELIC CENTRE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE GENERAL POST OFFICE AND IN THE TSIM SHA TSUI POST OFFICE.

OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVERS AT 50 CENTS EACH WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JANUARY 7.

ADVANCE ORDERS FOR FIRST DAY TREATMENT OF FIRST DAY COVERS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM JANUARY 7 TO 16 AT ALL POST OFFICES. THE MINIMUM QUANTITY PER ORDER IS FIVE.

+CUSTOMERS WISHING TO AVOID CONGESTION ON THE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE ARE ADVISED TO MAKE USE OF THIS SERVICE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF CUSTOMERS, FIRST DAY COVERS PRE-AFFIXED WITH A SET OF THE STAMPS AND CANCELLED WITH THE PHILATELIC BUREAU DATESTAMP WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT $10 AT DESIGNATED COUNTERS AT THE GENERAL POST OFFICE, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, QUEEN'S ROAD, TSIM SHA TSUI AND KOWLOON CENTRAL POST OFFICES ON JANUARY 21.

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