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12 December 2003
Yau Tong Post Office Takes on a New Look

The Postmaster General, Mr. Allan CHIANG, announced today (12 December 2003) that a set of special stamps and a series of associated stamp products depicting the theme of Year of the Monkey will be issued on Sunday, 4 January 2004.

i) Year of the Monkey Special Stamps

The stamps are designed by Mr. Bon KWAN and printed in lithography by Joh. Enschedé B.V., the Netherlands. This is the fifth Lunar New Year special stamp issue in the third series released by Hongkong Post. In keeping with the lively spirit of these fascinating creatures, different species of monkeys have been depicted in these colourful stamps, which also incorporate traditional Chinese paper cutting techniques as a toast to the festive spirit of the Lunar New Year.

ii) Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Ram / Monkey

Designed by Mr. Bon KWAN and printed by Cartor Security Printing, France, the two stamps, one featuring the Ram and the other featuring the Monkey, are embossed and hot-foiled respectively with genuine 22-carat gold / 99.9% pure silver and genuine 24-carat gold / 99.9% pure silver. A certificate of authenticity is included, making the sheetlet a propitious souvenir for the Lunar New Year.

Information about associated philatelic products of this issue and the sales restriction starting from 4 January 2004 are as follows:

Products	Unit Selling Price	Sales Restriction Per Customer
Year of the Monkey Special Stamps
Mint Stamps (4 denominations)	$1.40, $2.40, $3.00, $5.00	10 sheets of stamps of each denomination (viz. 250 sets of stamps)
Souvenir Sheet (with the 4 stamps)	$11.80	20 sheets
Imperforated Stamp Sheetlet (with a $5 imperforated stamp)	$5.00	20 sheets
Presentation Pack (with full set of 4 stamps)	$20.00	5 packs
Postage Prepaid Picture Cards (Air Mail) (with a set of 4 cards)	$20.00	5 sets
Serviced First Day Cover affixed with a set of 4 stamps (cancelled by special postmark, only available at 39 philatelic offices on 4 January 2004)	$15.30	5 covers
Serviced First Day Cover affixed with a Souvenir Sheet (cancelled by special postmark, only available at 39 philatelic offices on 4 January 2004)	$15.30	5 covers
Serviced First Day Cover affixed with an Imperforated Stamp Sheetlet (cancelled by special postmark, only available at 39 philatelic offices on 4 January 2004)	$8.50	5 covers
Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Ram / Monkey
Stamp Sheetlet (with a set of two $50 Gold & Silver stamps)	$100.00	5 sheets
Serviced Souvenir Cover affixed with a Stamp Sheetlet (cancelled by special postmark, only available at 39 philatelic offices on 4 January 2004)	$103.50	5 covers
Presentation Pack (with a Stamp Sheetlet of two $50 Gold & Silver stamps)	$120.00	5 packs

The stamps and sheetlet will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office and Shatin Central Post Office from 15 December 2003. Official First Day Cover and Official Souvenir Cover at $1.00 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 all post offices from 15 to 20 December 2003.

Hand-back service will be provided at all post offices (except mobile post offices) on 4 January 2004 for official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. Two special postmarks will also be introduced.

The "GPO-1" postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmarks will also be available for hand-back service at all philatelic offices on that day.

All post offices (except mobile post offices) will open on 4 January 2004 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In addition, the public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the "GPO-1" postmark as well as the special postmarks.

First Day Cover text for the Year of the Monkey special stamps

The enclosed photograph shows the specimen impression of the special postmark to be issued on 4 January 2004 on the theme "Year of the Monkey".

The enclosed photograph shows the specimen impression of the special postmark to be issued on 4 January 2004 on the theme "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Ram / Monkey".

The enclosed photographs show the Special Stamps to be issued on 4 January 2004 on the theme "Year of the Monkey".

The enclosed photographs show the Stamp Sheetlet to be issued on 4 January 2004 on the theme "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals - Ram / Monkey".