Singapore, 2 January 2020 – Singapore Post Limited (SingPost) is celebrating Chinese New Year with the launch of a set of stamps depicting the rat, to welcome the Year of the Rat, on 8 January 2020.
The collection marks a new cycle of SingPost’s Zodiac stamp series, featuring two graphical illustrations of the rat, the first sign in the Chinese Zodiac cycle. The Zodiac Rat stamps are the first in a series that will span the next 12 years, all of which are designed in a similar artistic style. The rest of the Chinese Zodiac stamps will be released in the next subsequent years until the 12-year cycle completes in 2031.
The artist behind the illustrations for the entire series is Ms Lim An-Ling, the designer behind the 2019 Singapore Bicentennial stamp sets. An established animator and illustrator, Ms Lim has been designing stamps for SingPost since 2013.
The Chinese Zodiac is a repeating cycle of 12 years. Each year of the Chinese lunar calendar is represented by an animal, each with its own reputed attributes. In order, the animals are: Rat (2020), Ox (2021), Tiger (2022), Rabbit (2023), Dragon (2024), Snake (2025), Horse (2026), Goat (2027), Monkey (2028), Rooster (2029), Dog (2030), and Pig (2031).
According to tradition, people born in the years of the Rat are known to be hardworking, thrifty and easy to get along with. They take pride in their neat work in all areas of life and have a deep sense of self-respect. Fair-tempered and pleasant, they are conservative and diligent, happy to set aside funds for a rainy day. Famous personalities born in the year of the Rat include footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, former US president George H.W. Bush, British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Singaporean singer Kit Chan.
Zodiac Rat Series Collection
The set of mint stamps comes in two denominations: 1st Local (30 cents) and $1.40.
The Pre-cancelled First Day Cover affixed with the complete set of stamps and cancelled with a special Zodiac Rat postmark will be sold at $3.10. The Presentation Pack containing both stamps is priced at $4.10.
Pre-cancelled First Day Cover - $3.10
Presentation Pack - $4.15
Postage labels bought at SAM kiosks at the General Post Office will feature a limited-run Chinese New Year design from 8 January 2020.
Postage labels available from select SAM kiosks at General Post Office
SingPost will also be producing a special Collector’s Sheet with a commemorative $10 stamp. Priced at $18.80, the Collector’s Sheet will be sold in a folder along with a set of eight red packets. The design is a modern take on the Chinese tradition of paper-cutting, one of China’s oldest and most popular folk art that dates back to the second century.
The Collector’s Sheet is designed by Mr Andy Koh, a multi-disciplinary designer who has also designed several stamp issues since 2000.
Special collector’s sheet & red packets (8 pieces) - $18.80
Other gifts available include a specially designed diagonal decorative stamp encased in a gold-edged frame, as well as a series of MyStamp rat-themed products. The images and prices of the items can be found in Appendix 1.
All rat-themed stamps and gift products will be available for sale from 8 January 2020 at post offices , the Philatelic Store @ GPO and online at shop.singpost.com, while stocks last.
In addition, these stamps and other Chinese New Year merchandise will be available for sale at the SingPost booth at River Hongbao 2020 festival held from 23 January 2020 to 1 February 2020.
Chinese New Year Reunion Stamp Miniature Sheet
Apart from the rat-themed stamps and products, SingPost will also be printing a limited edition stamp miniature sheet, in celebration of the Chinese New Year festivities. The stamp features the Chinese tradition of the reunion dinner, a meal traditionally taken on the eve of Chinese New Year by the entire family together and often considered the most important meal of the entire year by the Chinese.
Chinese New Year Reunion Stamp Miniature Sheet - $18
The miniature sheet will go on sale on 24 January 2020, the eve of Chinese New Year, at all post offices, the Philatelic Store @ GPO and online at shop.singpost.com, while stocks last.
Festive postage rates for Chinese New Year
Leading up to the festive season, SingPost will be offering discounted postage rates for the sending of all greeting cards within Singapore and to overseas addresses. The festive rates will apply for all stamped and franked greeting cards posted between 4 and 25 January 2020.
The festive postage rates for non-standard size greeting cards sent to a local address is 30 cents (weighing up to 20 grams) and 37 cents (up to 40 grams), reduced from the regular postage rate of 60 cents.
For greeting cards sent overseas, customers will be charged either 70 cents or 80 cents, depending on the weight and destination, saving up to 62 per cent off regular postage rates.
Please refer to the table below for the detailed schedule of festive rates:
| Local Mail Rates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Step | Normal Rate | Festive Rate | |
| Standard | Non-standard | ||
| 20g | 30c | 60c | 30c |
| 40g | 37c | 37c | |
| International Mail Rates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Zones & Destinations | Weight Step | Normal Rate | Festive Rate |
| Zone 1 Malaysia & Brunei | 20g | 70c | 70c |
| 50g | 90c | 80c | |
| Zone 2 Countries in Asia & the Pacific (except Australia, Japan & New Zealand) | 1st 20g | 80c | 80c^ (Up to 40g) |
| addl. 10g | 25c | ||
| Zone 3 Australia, Japan, New Zealand & rest of the world | 1st 20g | $1.40 | 80c^ (Up to 40g) |
| addl. 10g | 35c | ||
^Regular postage rates apply for greeting cards exceeding 40g.
Customers can purchase stamps for their greeting cards at all post offices, the Philatelic Store @ GPO, SAM kiosks, postal agents and stamp vendors located island-wide.
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For media enquiries:
Shannon Lim (Mr)
+65 9728 8580
About Singapore Post Limited
For more than 160 years, Singapore Post (SingPost), as the country's postal service provider, has been delivering trusted and reliable services to homes and businesses in Singapore. Today, SingPost is pioneering and leading in eCommerce logistics as well as providing innovative mail and logistics solutions in Singapore and around the world, with operations in 19 markets.
Building on its trusted communications through domestic and international postal services, SingPost is taking the lead in end-to-end integrated and digital mail solutions. The suite of SingPost eCommerce logistics solutions includes front end web management, warehousing and fulfilment, last mile delivery and international freight forwarding.
Appendix 1
Other rat-themed stamp products
1st local stamp booklet - $3.00
Stamp Sheets (10 stamps, 1st local stamp or $1.40 stamp) - $3.00 / $14.00
Chinese New Year philately & MyStamp Products
Special Edition Zodiac Rat Frame - $38.00
Zodiac Rat MyStamp folder & Spring decorative MyStamp sheet - $21.80
Chinese New Year – Rat MyStamp sheet - $12.00
