To mark the 140th anniversary of Hong Kong stamps, Hong Kong Post Friday issues a souvenir cover, said HK's Postmaster General P.C. Luk.
According to Luk, Hong Kong introduced its first set of definitive stamps -- the "Victoria" Definitive Stamps on Dec. 8, 1862. In the one-and-a-half century that followed, Hongkong Post has given birth to 14 sets of definitive stamps.
He said that before 1997 when China resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, definitive stamps featured motifs around the image of the British sovereign. After 1997, these sets "are all infused with distinctive themes that best reflect Hong Kong." Moreover, when the "Victoria" set was first issued 140 years ago, there were only six denominations, while there are 16 for the set that's currently being used.
Chairman of the Hong Kong Philatelic Society William Kwan, and President of the Hong Kong Study Circle Norman Bennett were present at the issuing ceremony.
(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2002)
