New Hong Kong Stamp - The "Year Of The Rat"

Say goodbye to the Year of the Pig, welcome the Year of the Rat! On January 26, 2008, the Hong Kong Post will be releasing a new stamp sheetlet set entitled the “Year of the Rat”.

This stamp set is issued in celebration of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. There are four stamps in the set. This is the ninth issue of the third Lunar New Year series. The rat’s personality is captured in each stamp with a beautiful background embellished with silver foliage. It features genuine 22K and 24 K gold as well as 99.9% silver. This exciting special edition will make a wonderful addition to your collection.

In Western cultures, the rat is considered a bottom-dwelling carrier of disease. It is not well liked by most. In Eastern culture, the rat is revered for its quick wits and clever skills. Rats are considered a symbol of wealth and good luck to all that encounter them.

People born in the Year of the Rat (1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984 and 1996) are considered to be hard workers who can achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and most likely are perfectionists. They are usually successful and have big ambitions. Rat people can be easily angered and are known for their thriftiness. They are also known for their charm and attention from the opposite sex.

The Year of the Monkey

The Chinese Zodiac is not only a significantly important tradition of the Chinese culture, but it is also a popular belief, and even a trend, in many countries, all over the world. Most people know of it simply through their local Chinese food restaurant’s place mat, or maybe even through a brief reference in a kung fu movie. Not many truly know the significance behind the actual meaning of the cute little animals depicted on the oriental calendars, such as the monkey portrayed on our authentic Year of the Monkey stamp from 1980.

The Chinese Zodiac is separated into twelve parts, each having its own unique animal with unique characteristics and symbolisms. These animals include the year of the ox, rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. People who are born in the year of the monkey, in Zodiac tradition, are commonly known for being very astute when dealing with planning some sort of plot, especially in cases of mischievous planning. Supposedly, one who is born in this particular time frame is keen on his or her surroundings and is born with the innate ability to make quick and clever decisions when needed to do so.

Whether or not your birthday falls in the year of the monkey, this genuine, mint-condition Chinese stamp is an ingeniously clever addition to any collection.