2020 - The Year of the Rat

Lunar New Year of Rat

Date of Issue : 11 January 2020

Year of the Rat. 2020 is the Year of the Rat according to Chinese zodiac. This is a Year of Metal Rat, starting from the 2020 Chinese New Year on Jan. 25 and lasting to 2021 Lunar New Year's Eve on Feb. 11. Rat is the first in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac.  USPS will issue a stamp, celebrating Lunar New Year of Rat on 11 January 2020.

SINGAPORE: A new stamp set featuring the Chinese zodiac sign for the year, the rat, will go on sale next Wednesday (Jan 8), Singapore Post (SingPost) said on Thursday.The zodiac stamp series features two graphical illustrations of the rat and comes in two denominations: 1st local (S$0.30) and S$1.40. 

Date of Issue : 4 December 2019

The lunar calendar is 12 months long, with each month corresponding roughly to one cycle of the Moon’s movement from a new Moon, through to a full Moon, and back to a new Moon. The lunar calendar is also known as the agricultural calendar as it divides the year into seasons. Agriculture was the principal economy of ancient China. Today, the lunar calendar still has great significance for many Chinese people, who use it to set the luckiest dates for traditional events and activities such as weddings, funerals, launching new ventures and moving to a new house.

People born in the Year of the Rat are clever and adapt quickly to new environments. They prefer to live quiet and peaceful lives.

Optimism and energy are key traits for those born in the Year of the Rat. They tend to be sensitive to others’ emotions and comments but are known to be stubborn with their own opinions. While the Rat personality is kind, their words may seem impolite or rude due to a lack of communication skills.

Rats are great at seizing opportunities that present themselves but can sometimes lack courage. They love to be organised and place great value on family. They like saving money and can be known to be a bit ungenerous. Their love of hoarding will sometimes cause them to waste money on unnecessary things.

The most outstanding characteristics of people born in the Year of the Rat are alertness, resourcefulness and intelligence. Owing to their positive contributions and strong flexibility at work, Rats are popular with their leaders. They are vigilant, well organised and full of ideas.

2018 - Year of the Dog

Date of Issue : 10 November 2017

2018 is the year of the Dog . On 10th November, 2018, Åland Post issued Year of the Dog, the fourth stamp in the series featuring Chinese zodiac animals.  

 With this lovely miniature sheet, Swedish artist Martin Mörck continues to put his mark on the series, illustrating a time when sailing ships dominated the townscape and sailors bought China dogs as souvenirs.
Produced in Staffordshire, the heart of English porcelain industry, during the 1800s, the delicate China dogs were made from glazed and decorated ceramics and particularly popular among Scandinavian and Åland sailors. The sailors’ dogs, also known as Staffordshire dogs, always appear in pairs, the most common type being white spaniel dogs with details in gold. They were placed on the mantel piece or windowsill at home.  A tall tale accompanying the sailors’ dogs had it that the dogs would be placed looking into the living room when the sailor was at home but out of the window when he was at sea.

The original China dogs illustrated on the miniature sheet may be viewed in the collections of the Åland Maritime Museum. Two maximum cards, also painted by Martin Mörck, complement the miniature sheet.

Aland Post

Hong Kong

2018 - Year of Dog 

The “Year of the Dog” stamp issue is the seventh in Hongkong Post’s fourth Lunar New Year special stamp series. Four thematic stamps delight collectors with cute models of dogs in ceramic, jade, pottery and seashell art. Exhibiting the lovely temperament and sweet playfulness of the dog, they present the Chinese zodiac sign for the year. Also available are stamp sheetlets printed in paper and silk that celebrate this great festive time of the year with joy and auspicious greetings.

Date of Issue : 27 January 2017

2017 - The Year of Rooster

The year 2017  will be celebrate as The Year of the Rooster . The United States Postal Service will issue the Year of the Rooster commemorative forever stamp on  January 5,2017. The first-day-of-issue ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, 719 S. King Street, Seattle, Washington.

The most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities around the world, the Lunar New Year is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan and Mongolian heritage. In many parts of the world,the occasion is marked in various ways across many cultures; parades featuring enormous and vibrantly painted papier-mâché dragons, parties, and other special events are common. Vendors at outdoor markets sell flowers, toys, food, and other items for celebration. Musicians play drums to celebrate this time of renewed hope for the future.

The Year of the Rooster stamp is the 10th of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Rooster begins Jan. 28, 2017, and ends Feb. 15, 2018. The stamp depicts a rooster emblazoned on a red envelope (hongbao). Parents present red envelopes containing money to children and loved ones during Lunar New Year celebrations. The color red symbolizes luck in Chinese culture, while rooster imagery is often used to ward off evil spirits. 

Greetings on Chinese New Year 4712

 

2015 Year of the Sheep Postcard

“Xin Nian Hao” - HAPPY (CHINESE) NEW YEAR 4712 !

The Year 2015 is the 4712th Chinese year and the first day is on February 19, 2015. Chinese New Year is represented by 1 of the 12 creatures of the Chinese Zodiac – 2015 is the year of the Sheep.The Chinese believe that people born in a particular year take on the characteristics of the animal associated with that year.

 

 

CHINESE NEW YEAR 4712 - THE YEAR OF Sheep | 19 FEBRUARY 2015

The first day of the 2015 Chinese New Year is on February 19, 2015 in China's time zone. This day is a new moon day, and is the first day of the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system. The exact new moon time is at 07:48 a.m. on 19-Feb-2015 in China's time zone.

The Year 2015 is the 4712th Chinese year. The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (he was not the first emperor of China). The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C., therefore China will enter the 4712th year on February 19, 2015. Also, the Chinese Year uses the cycle of 60 Stem-Branch counting systems and the Green Wood Sheep is the 32nd Stem-Branch in the cycle. Since (60 *78) + 32 = 4712, therefore 2015 is the Wooden Sheep year, which is the 4712th Chinese Year.

2015 is the year of Sheep. Some people say 2015 is a Green Sheep or Wooden Sheep year. This is because the Stem-Branch Calendar is connected to the Five Element theory. Chinese calendars used the Stem-Branch system to count the days, months and years. There are 10 Stems and 12 Branches in this system. Stems are named by the Yin-Yang and Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth).  

Chinese Shell stamp

If you want to know which animal you are like by entering your date of birth at http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/Zodiac

Read special article by Dr SK Agrawal on Chinese New Year in Rainbow Stamp News on following links : 

Chinese New Year   Part I  http://rainbowstampnews.blogspot.in/2014/12/rainbow-january-2015.html

Chinese New Year   Part 2   http://rainbowstampnews.blogspot.in/2015/01/rainbow-february-2015.html  

Stamp Design Competition by India Post

 

Theme : Women Empowerment

“Independence Day 2015” - Stamp Design Competition by India Post

Department of Posts is holding a “Independence Day 2015 – Stamp Design Competition”. The theme of the competition is Women Empowerment.The Terms and Conditions to participate in the competition are as follows:

i. Entries are invited for ‘Independence Day 2015 – Stamp Design Competition’ . The participants are to make an original design on this subject (should not be copy of picture painted by someone else).

ii. Any citizen of India can participate in this contest. The design could be in ink, water colour, oil colour or any other medium (computer printed/printout will not be allowed). The design submitted should be such that can be depicted on the stamps in a visually appealing manner so as to be of interest to philatelic collectors.

iii. Participants are free to use drawing paper, art paper or any other type of white paper of A4 Size.

iv. The following particulars should be written legibly on the reverse of the design:

1. Name of the participant*
2. Age*
3. Gender*
4. Nationality*
5. Full and complete residential address with Pin code
6. Phone/Mobile Number*
7. E-Mail ID (if available)
* It is compulsory to provide the information.

v. An undertaking stating that ‘The artwork submitted is original and no copyright issues are involved’ should be sent along with the entry. In case of any legal dispute related to copyright issue, Department of Posts will not be liable for the same.

vi. The design should be sent without being folded, through “Speed Post” only, in A4 size envelope. The participants should mention “Independence Day 2015 – Stamp Design Contest” on the envelope in which the drawing is sent.

vii. The prize winning designs will be considered for use on stamps and other philatelic material. The prize money will be as follows:

First prize: Rs. 10,000/-
Second prize: Rs. 6,000/-
Third prize: Rs. 4,000/-

viii. The entries should reach on the following address by 31.03.2015.The entries received after the last date of receipt will not be entertained.

ADG (Philately)

Room No. 108(B),

Dak Bhawan, Parliament Street,

New Delhi - 110001.

2015 - Chinese Year of the Sheep

Isle of Man

 

 

The new stamps from Isle of Man celebrate the Chinese Year of the Sheep and in recognition of Isle of Man presence at the 2015 China International Collection Expo (CICE) in Beijing.The Post Office is proud to have worked in cooperation with the Isle of Man Chinese Association to present the first miniature sheet of 2015, a celebration of the Chinese Year of the Sheep.

The year 2015 is going to be an exciting time. The sheep is the eighth sign in the Chinese astrological calendar, and “eight” is traditionally believed to be a lucky number. The number is also considered to attribute peace and prosperity.

Those under the sheep in the Chinese zodiac could be born in 1955, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 and 2027. It is believed that people, who fall under this sign experience happiness in other people’s happiness, are pure in nature, fashionable, well-mannered and sophisticated. The Year of the Sheep dates are between February 19, 2015 and February 7, 2016.

This unique collectible miniature sheet has been designed by artists Ms Du Xiaoxiao and Mr Guo Zhenshan. The design strikes a balance between traditional and modern art and includes bold, vibrant coloured images of sheep with floral patterns, in addition to Chinese lanterns and calligraphy. The sheet also incorporates the lucky colours of this horoscope red, green and purple.

Stamps from Philippines

Date of Issue : 24 November 2014

MANILA - The Philippine Postal Corp. (Philpost) has launched its 2015 Year of the Goat special stamp to welcome the New Year.

Although the official start of the Year of the Goat coincides with the Chinese New Year, Philpost In a news release said it released the stamps as early as November 24, 2014.The two-design stamp features the colorful image of the goat’s head sold at P10 per piece and the whole image of the goat worth P30 each.

Philpost circulated 55,000 copies of the stamp and are now available in post offices and shops across the country.The New Year Stamps comes with a greeting “Manigong Bagong Taon” while the P30 stamp bears the English translation “Happy New Year.” At the bottom of the stamps are Chinese characters and the words “2015 Year of the Goat.”

The special stamps measures 40mm x 30 mm, and will be sold until supply runs out.  Jose Antonio Jayme is the layout artist and the stamp was printed in imported unwatermarked paper by security printer Amstar Co. Inc.

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2015 is the year of the green wooden goat. The goat or sheep is the eighth animal to heed Buddha’s call. It is believed that those born in a goat year are creative, intelligent, dependable, and calm.

New stamps on Year of the Horse..

 

A set of special stamps on the theme of “Year of the Horse” were released on 11 January 2014  by Hong Kong Post. The “Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Snake/Horse” and “Heart warming Stamps (2014 Version) “Year of the Horse” Mini-panes” were also issued on the same day.

The stamp sheetlet showcases a puppet used in traditional Chinese shadow puppetry.Shadow puppetry is a kind of theatrical folk art. The puppets are usually carved out of animal hides. During the show, the shadows of the puppets are projected on a translucent cloth screen illuminated from behind. Stories are acted out with the play of light and shadow. The stamp sheetlet features a vibrant horse in shadow puppetry.

Stamp designs

$1.70 – Fabric art, a traditional Chinese handicraft, is paper-cutting, embroidery and craftsmanship put together. A lively pony made of colourful floral patchwork fabric is depicted on the stamp, lending a note of joyous festivity.

$2.90 – Wood-carving, a kind of folk handicraft, goes back to ancient times. It is an art which calls for precision and finesse. Vividly carved, the lifelike wooden horse on the stamp captures both the contours and the spirit of its real counterpart and demonstrates exquisite craftsmanship.

$3.70 – Metal sculpture has a long history in China. Bronze ware was abundant in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. The stamp features an equine sculpture forged out of stainless steel. With graceful lines, the sculpture shows the beauty of a horse in motion, manifesting an oriental contemporary art style to the full.

$5 – Lacquer ware refers to objects made of wood or other materials and coated with lacquer. China was the first country in the world to produce lacquer ware. In ancient Chinese mythology, the sea horse is an emblem of auspiciousness. The stamp highlights a spirited lacquer-painted sea horse.

Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Snake/Horse

The setting off of firecrackers bids farewell to the Year of the Snake and ushers in the Year of the Horse. The Chinese have, for a long time, used the Chinese zodiac animals to mark the years. In traditional Chinese culture, the snake is a symbol of luck, longevity and wealth, while the horse stands for a wise man and a person of talent. The horse also symbolises a determination to succeed and constant efforts to become stronger.

Hongkong Post celebrates this Lunar New Year by issuing the Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals depicting the Snake and the Horse, to express wishes for a peaceful and prosperous year ahead. Gold and silver ware has a special appeal for Chinese people. Glittering gold and shining silver, symbols of prestige and nobility, are used for production of the stamps on Lunar New Year Animals to herald a new year.

As the second Lunar New Year Gold and Silver stamp issue in the second series released by Hongkong Post, this stamp sheetlet consists of two stamps, one featuring the Snake and the other the Horse, both in a denomination of $50. The Snake stamp is hot-foiled with silver, while the Horse stamp is affixed with 22K gold-plated lace metal.

The main background colours of golden yellow, orange-red and emerald green of the stamp sheetlet set off the strong festive ambience.

Year of Horse stamp from Gibraltar

Date of Issue : 0 January 2014

Gibraltar Post issued se-tenant pair on 30 January to commemorate the Year of Horse.

New stamps on Year of Horse

 

Date of Issue : 7 January 2014

To celebrate the Year of the Horse, Christmas Island (Australia Post) released a Lunar New Year stamp issue featuring the Chinese character for the horse, shown in the $1.80 stamp, and its pictorial representation, shown in the 60c stamp.

The Horse is the seventh sign in the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes strength and animation. The Year of the Horse begins on 31 January 2014.The miniature sheet tells the story (in Chinese and English) about The Chinese idiom –laomashitu – literally means an old horse knows the way; experience is valuable.

The Chinese zodiac uses animal signs to date the years over a 12-year cycle and 2014 is the Year of the Horse. For festive seasons, such as New Year, the Chinese lunar calendar is the determining factor.

Those born in the Year of the Horse are said to be intuitive, practical and quick-witted. Horses make excellent teachers, politicians and performers. Some famous Horses include Rembrandt, Chopin, Sir Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand. Horse Years over the last century were 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990 and 2002.

 

New Special Cover

India Post Kerala Postal circle released a special cover on the occasion of Gandhismrithi 2014 at Payyanur. For more information, Please contact: K. V. Mukundan Master (M): +919447486928 or Roop Balram (M) +91 8281959028.

: Sreejesh Krishnan - Trivandrum

New stamps from Zodiac series…

 

In the Chinese lunar calendar, 2014 is the year of the horse, and the attribute of the “Heavenly Stems” among the Five Elements in this year is wood.Here are  new stamps from the Zodiac series issued by Singapore and Macao. The image of the horses are showing specific designs which have their own meaning described in detail  below.

There are a total of 12 animal signs in the Chinese calendar based on five cycles of 12 years each, with each cycle tempered by one of the five Chinese elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. According to Chinese astrology and belief, the traits of these zodiac animals not only shape the personalities of people born under the respective sign but also their lives and the events of the year. Apart from the Horse, the other Chinese zodiac animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

The cheerful, energetic and warm-hearted Horse, seventh in the Zodiac Cycle starts off yet another New Year on the Chinese zodiac calendar in 2014. Three graphical illustrations of this powerful Horse ushering in the new Lunar Year 2014 are shown in this set of stamps of 1st Local, 65¢ and $1.10 by Singapore Post.

Being the seventh of the 12 animal signs, those born in the year of Horse are often said to possess character traits such as quick-witted, ingenious communication skills and talented. Because of the nature of always wanting to be in a limelight, Horse individuals love entertainment and large crowds. They are popular among friends, active at work and definitely enjoy fun. They are an adventurer at heart and always have great and dynamics new approaches.

As 2014 is the year of the Wood Horse, they are friendly and cooperative. The Wood Horse will have a happy disposition and be very active in social affairs. Amusing and good conversationalist, Wood Horse individuals will not be overly egoistical and will not constantly vie for headlines. Their highly spirited character will also look forward to welcome in the new because changes and new inventions capture their imagination.

Famous personalities born in the Horse year include Chopin, Sir Isaac Newton, Cindy Crawford, Harrison Ford, Jackie Chan, Oprah Winfrey, Genghis Khan, Emperor Kangxi and Yongzheng of China’s Qing Dynasty.

 

Lunar Year of Horse stamps from Macao

 

The Macao Post adopted the “Heavenly Stems” calculation method to figure out the nature of the “Five Elements” in the seventh issue of the third series of Chinese Zodiac stamps “Lunar Year of the Horse”. This year, the horse’s nature from the “Five Elements” is “Wood Horse”, so it becomes the main character of the five stamps.

“Wood Horse” – The Wood Horse belongs to the “majesty” category. He is majestic in temperament, he makes prudent decisions, fearless and decisive in work style; he always has an acute and original insight, with rich imagination.

“Water Horse” – The Water Horse belongs to the “knight of love” category. He is affectionate and righteous, willing to sacrifice for others. Sentimental in nature, and always gets help from opposite sex. He tends to act with prudence, and his difficult problems at work can always be solved by meeting nobilities.

“Metal Horse” – The Metal Horse belongs to the “egocentricity” category. He does things on his own way. He is outspoken, kind-hearted and willing to help others. He is single minded in his career and relationship, also, he is calm and rational. Besides, he drives forward courageously and carries through to the end.

“Earth Horse” – The Earth Horse belongs to the “optimism” category. He is optimistic and generous to others, he is also cheerful and content with his lives. He is kind-hearted, with a sense of responsibility, impartial with no prejudice when dealing with matters, he often takes pleasure by helping others. Earth Horse is active by nature, dynamic and energetic.

“Fire Horse” – The Fire Horse belongs to the “king of horse” category. He is gifted the leading skill and highly competent, perseverance, fearless of any pressure and willing to face any challenge. Fire Horse is intelligent by nature, he has a passionate and enthusiastic personality.

The stamp designer uses wooden horse as the theme, which well represents that Macao is a tourism hot spot, just like a carousel that brings people joy and happiness, implying a joyful and harvest year.

New Special Cover

Platinum Jubilee of Rotary Club of Madurai - 27th December 2013

A special cover to commemorate the platinum jubilee celebrations of Rotary Club of Madurai was released by the Department of Posts on 27th December 2013.

:  Kasinath R. – Tanjore : email : kasinath80@gmail.com

 

Year of the Horse

 

The year 2014 is the year of Horse. Many  postal administrations are issuing stamps to commemorate this year.Greeting the New Year 2014 the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications issues the stamp set “Year of the Horse” with 2 values of 2,000 dong and 10,500 dong.

Image of horses appeared early in the East-West culture. Horses are one of the animals that have been tamed for a long time to serve for human’s daily life. Horses are one of the 12 animal designations in the Oriental culture and the Sagittarius of 12 zodiacs in the Western culture. Horses are the symbol of wealth, success, loyalty, pride and freedom (with the image of raising hooves and shouting).

 

 Club News

MAPPEX 2013

11th Madhya Pradesh Philatelic Exhibition is being held in Bhopal from 19 – 21 December 2013.  The following jury evaluated the exhibits and awarded 6 large Vermeil,5 Vermeil,11 Large Silver,9 Silver,12 Silver Bronze,8 Bronze and 20 Diploma to the participants. The exhibition will be concluded today.

1. Mr A.P. Srivastava, CPMG - Chairperson of the Jury

2. Mr Dhanjay Desai – Ahmedabad

3. Dr SP Gupta – Meerut

4. Mr Umesh Kakkeri – Mumbai ( Apprentice Jury )

Buddha Cover from Gorakhpur

Special Cover on Buddha issued from Gorakhpur is available with  Postmaster, Golghar, Gorakhpur – 273001. Ph.  8004958478

New Special Cover

 

 

A special cover on St. Aloysius Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur Cantt. was released during the district level philatelic exhibition  JABALIPEX 2013 which held in Jabalpur from 20 -21 November 2013.

 

: Arvind Mullick -  Jabalpur - email : arvindmullick@yahoo.com

2014 – Lunar New Year of Horse

 

Around the world, a new year is welcomed with noise! Chinese drums, with drumsticks painted red for luck, highlight the U.S. Postal Service’s 2014 Year of the Horse stamp, seventh in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Horse begins on January 31, 2014, and ends on February 18, 2015.

Across many cultures, in the United States as elsewhere, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in various ways, often with parades and parties. Firecrackers are traditionally used to scare off evil spirits and welcome this time of renewed hope for the future. Lucky foods are eaten — kumquats,  given as gifts. Festive lanterns, colored red for luck  are common decorations at Lunar New Year celebrations, where they are frequently hung in rows.

The date of issue of this stamp will be declared soon by USPS. The stamp is so beautiful, a nice collectible item for all.

The Year of the Horse stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 12. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

Snowflakes on US stamps..…

 

Date of Issue : October 1, 2013

Here is another beautiful set of Stamps issued by USPS in October this year featuring Snowflakes..Celebrating the winters.

Let it snow! The five stamps each feature a photograph of a different snowflake. Although they are all the same type of snowflake — stellar dendrites, with six branching, treelike arms — each of the five looks entirely different. Each snowflake is set against a background of colors that fade from white at the bottom to icy blues and purples at the tops. Along the bottom of each stamp are the words “Presorted Standard.”

Winter is long. Brighten it up by using the beautiful, ethereal Snowflakes stamps for the holidays and beyond.

 

Happy New Year

 

 

Lunar New Year – Year of Snake

Stamp issued by Papua New Guinea

2013 marks the Chinese New Year of the Snake, and Chunghwa Post (Taiwan) is issuing a new set of New Year's Greeting Postage Stamps with two stamps and a souvenir sheet featuring the upcoming year's animal sign. In keeping with the pop modern art and traditional Chinese ink-wash styles of the 2010 and 2011 issues, the vignette of each of the stamps features an artistically papercutted snake or a pair of snakes colored in bright yellow and royal purple against a pale-orange background with random yellow splatters. The bright color scheme spotlights the joyous atmosphere of the Year of the Snake. The designs follow:

1. NT$3.50 Stamp: The long bodies curled against each other in symmetry and the heads pointing to opposite directions, this pair of snakes represents the spirit of "one mind" and symbolizes "warmth and all one's wishes will come true."

2. NT$13.00 Stamp: The snake's head surges forward, with the plump, curved body curling behind. The snake looks spirited and ready to spring into action. This image represents "courage" and symbolizes "marching ahead bravely."

3. NT$12.00 Souvenir Sheet: With its upper body standing erect and the head tilting to one side to face its curved tail, this snake signifies "mettle," and reflects the spirit of "sprightliness and "everything goes according to one's wishes."

Lunar New Year Year of the Snake

 

Date of Issue : 8 January 2013

Canada Post will issue stamps and souvenir sheets on 8 January 2013 to commemorate Lunar Year of Snake.The Year of the Snake begins on February 10, 2013, and ends on January 30, 2014.

In Western culture, calling someone a snake is considered fighting words. But in the Asian countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Snake is viewed as the wisest and most enigmatic of all the zodiac creatures. In fact, it's such a strong sign of intelligence and luck that an ancient Chinese saying notes that finding a snake in one's home is great fortune and ensures that the inhabitants will never go hungry.

The Year of the Snake, in this case a water snake, slithers in on February 10, 2013, and bids farewell on January 30, 2014. The sixth of 12 creatures in the zodiac, the Snake represents intelligence, materialism and gracefulness. Those born in the Year of the Snake are analytical and tend to look closely before they leap. They love luxury and know how to get what they want. Even if it means scheming and plotting, clever and cunning snakes know that the end justifies whatever means necessary. Still, the Snake requires peace; noise and stress are not well tolerated. The hard-working and ambitious Snake is successful in professional life, but tends to hop jobs, becoming easily bored if not sufficiently challenged or rewarded.

The duo stamp issue (Permanent™ domestic and International) for the Year of the Snake, the fifth in this series, is created in lavish textures befitting the luxury-loving Snake. On the domestic stamp, a red snake slithers on curving waves, symbolizing the water influence on this particular Year of the Snake. On the international stamp, a yellow and green jade snake, artfully embossed on multiple levels to provide three-dimensionality and simulate scales, coils into a stylized 8, the luckiest and most valued number by the Chinese people. Both images visually draw on the most significant character attributes of the Year of the Snake.

Booklet of 6 stamps

 

2013 CHINESE LUNAR CALENDAR  YEAR OF THE SNAKE PERSONALIZED STAMP SHEET from UNPA

On 28 January 2013, UNPA will issue a Chinese lunar calendar personalized stamp sheet celebrating the "Year of the Snake". This is the fourth year in which UNPA has issued a Chinese lunar calendar sheet. The sheet is composed of ten US$ 1.10 denominated stamps with the UN logo.