Hongkong Post - The Year in Stamps

An overview of special stamp issues in 2009/10

2009/10 was another interesting year in the philatelic world, with Hongkong Post issuing a wide range of commemorative stamps and stamp products. In total, we issued eight sets of special stamps and three stamp sheetlets.

The traditional Lunar New Year issue this year featured designs celebrating the Year of the Tiger, one of the twelve zodiac signs in the Chinese calendar. Another ongoing series is our Mainland Scenery Series, which this year saw the issue off “Mainland Scenery Series No. 9: Fujian Tulou”. This illustrated the remarkable architectural structures of Fujian Tulou, officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2008.

Events marked by stamp issues during the year included the “60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China”, for which a special joint souvenir pack was issued simultaneously by China Post, Hongkong Post and Macao Post. Another major event for Hong Kong was the hosting of the “Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games” from December 5-13, 2009, the first time Hong Kong had ever hosted a sports event of this scale. Hongkong Post encapsulated this milestone in a special stamp set.

Other interesting sets issued during the year included stamps showcasing the fascinating Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong, a stamp sheetlet marking the “HONG KONG 2009 – 23rd Asian International Stamp Exhibition”, and a joint issue with Brazil Post featuring a football theme, the “Hong Kong, China - Brazil Joint Issue on Football”.

Nurturing interest in philately among young people

Stamps and stamp collecting have a timeless appeal. Hongkong Post has always been active in encouraging young people to take an interest in stamps and stamp collecting. From December 2009 through March 2010 we organised the 11th Inter-School Stamp Exhibits Competition, in conjunction with the Education Bureau. The event attracted over 230 student participants, all of whom submitted exhibits of a very high standard.

In May 2009, young people also had the chance to get involved with philately when the “HONG KONG 2009 – 23rd Asian International Stamp Exhibition” was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Hongkong Post was the main sponsor of this exhibition, which was organised by the Hong Kong Philatelic Society under the patronage of the Federation of Inter-Asian Philately. The theme of this year’s exhibition was “Youth Philately”, with a special focus on promoting the pleasure of stamp collecting to young people.

Customisation of premium gifts with stamps

Towards the end of 2009/10, Hongkong Post launched a new customisation service for corporate clients to incorporate our stamps into their own corporate souvenirs and collaterals. As this customisation service takes off, the awareness of Hongkong Post’s philatelic products will also be raised, particularly among those customers who receive the stamp-themed souvenirs.