 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Hong Kong.
| This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Hong Kong.
The postal system in the British colony of Hong Kong began in 1841 when the Royal Mail established the first General Post Office in the region. [1] [2] Between 1841 and 1862, no stamps were issued, and postmarks were used to certify payment of the postage instead. [3] [4] The earliest postmarks were used by military field offices, and read "MILITARY POST OFFICE CHINA" (c. 1842) and "MILITARY POST OFFICE HONG KONG" (1841-1842). An assortment of postmarks were used for civilian purposes, their contents usually a combination of "HONG KONG" and "PAID". All such postmarks were not used after the issuance of the first stamps in 1862. [4]
In 1860, Governor Sir Hercules Robinson requested a supply of stamps to be used in Hong Kong, but his request was refused in preference of the use of locally issued stamps. [3] On 8 December 1862, the first local stamps were issued, printed by De La Rue and engraved by Ferdinand Joubert, featuring the portrait of Queen Victoria in seven denominations. [5] [6] [7] The circulation of the first series was intended to last for two years. In 1863, four new values, with similar designs save for the addition of watermarks, were added. Thereafter, new values were added intermittently up until 1871. [8] Stamps were not popularly used even after the appearance of the first stamps. At the time, customarily, the receiver rather than the sender was responsible for the postage fee. Therefore, senders were apprehensive of paying the postage before mailing. Nonetheless, the use of local stamps became compulsory by law in 1864. [2] [9] Following the release of the first stamps, a large variety of values and surcharges were introduced in the colony, mostly due to the difficulty and time of communication between the colony and UK. [5]
In 1877, Hong Kong joined the Universal Postal Union. [2]
In 1891, the first commemorative stamp was issued to celebrate the Hong Kong's 50th anniversary as a British colony. It was a limited edition of the 1883 two-cent carmine Queen's head, overprinted with "1841 HONG KONG JUBILEE 1891". Only 50,000 of the stamp were printed, with a stated on-sale period of only three days. [2] [5] [9] The stamp was the world's first overprinted commemorative stamp. [10] It was also Hong Kong's first first day cover, postmarked with the issuing date but with no specific designs on the cover. [4] The first day of sale, 22 January 1891, saw a large crowd of stamp collectors attracted by the stamp's rarity. At 7 a.m., on the opening of sale, each person was only allowed to purchase 25 of the commemorative stamp. By 8 a.m., each was only allowed 20. Chaos during the sales saw the death of two Portuguese, crushed by the mob, and one Dutch sailor who was stabbed to death. [9] [11]
Between 1891 and 1941, only 3 other sets of commemorative stamps were issued, perhaps because of the bloodshed from the sale of the Jubilee stamp. [9] [10] These included the Silver Jubilee of King George V (1935), Coronation of King George VI (1937) and the centenary of British rule (1941). [10] [12] The 1941 centenary stamps, featuring local sights and scenes, marked the first time local features were incorporated into the stamp designs. [9]
The death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and the reign of King Edward VII saw the release of a new series of definitives, commonly referred to as the "bald man"'s definitives (「光頭佬」) by local philatelists and stamp collectors. [9] [11] The first set (1903) of stamps featuring Edward VII consisted of 15 stamps. A second set (1904) was printed on different paper, followed by a partial set (1907) was printed with different colours. [8] These definitives saw a change in spelling for the name of the colony, from "HONGKONG" to "HONG KONG". This change was kept in the definitives of King George V but was reverted to "HONGKONG" for the definitives of King George VI. [5] No stamps for King Edward VIII were issued in Hong Kong. [7] Apart from the differences in spelling, the stamp designs also did not agree on the translation of "cent" in Chinese. Victorian stamps featured either "先時" (sin-si) and "仙" (sin). Stamps of Edward VII featured "先" (sin), until it was finalized as "角" (kok, see Chinese jiao ) during the reign of George VI. [13] The George VI stamps also see the replacement of "scrolls" design at the top left and right of the stamp with a crown, along with the portrait of the monarch facing right, instead of the traditional left. In total, 23 stamps were issued for George VI. [8]
Between 1 January 1917 and November 1922, Hong Kong stamps were used in Chinese and Japanese treaty ports. Stamps overprinted with "CHINA" were also used in response to the devaluation of the Chinese dollar. After the treaty ports' closures in November 1922, the "CHINA" overprints were used exclusively in the leased territory of Weihaiwei until its closure in 1930. [5] [7] [9]
During the Second World War, the De La Rue factory in London was bombed, leading to the issuing of a series of George VI definitives printed on thinly-coated paper by Bradbury Wilkinson and Harrison, called the "rough paper wartime printings". [7]
Hong Kong surrendered to Japan on 25 December 1941, marking the start of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. Postal services resumed in early 1942, with 20 or 21 Japanese definitives were introduced for use in Hong Kong. [14] [15] As a response to hyperinflation during the occupation, three stamp issues were surcharged with a higher value. These were also overprinted with "Office of the Governor of Hong Kong" (Japanese : 香港總督部). [13] [15] Censorship, changes of local addresses into a Japanese format, and renaming of district and building names into names of Japanese origins led to a chaotic postal system during the occupation. [9]
Most of the British stamps were safely hidden until Japan's surrender. [5] Some were stored in the vaults of the General Post Office and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation building, while others were sent to Australia and South Africa for safekeeping. [15]
Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, and postal service under the British resumed on 25 August, initially for free. [15] No stamps were available, so octagonal handstamps inscribed with ‘HONG KONG 1945 POSTAGE PAID’ were later used in lieu of stamps. [5] [9] In early September, the government rediscovered the stash of hidden stamps. Together with the return of the stamp cache from Australia and South Africa, the sales of stamps re-continued on 28 September. [15]
The end of the Second World War saw the release of the "Victory" commemorative stamps (30 August 1946) on the anniversary of the British takeover. The 30-cent and 1-dollar stamps were designed by Postmaster Edward Irvine Wynne-Jones and Chief Draughtsman of the Public Works Department William E Jones during their internment in the Stanley Internment Camp by the Japanese. The design featured a phoenix with the Latin text "1941 RESURGO 1945", along with the Chinese text "鳳鳥復興 漢英昇平" (Phoenix Resurgence; Han-British Peace). The Chinese text was rendered as "鳳鳥復興 漢英大和" in the original draft, which had the same meaning. However, as "大和" was also a rendition of "Yamato", the text was changed to alternate Chinese characters. [5] [9] [16] The same month also saw the return of some George VI definitives that were printed in 1941 but remained undelivered to Hong Kong until 1946. [14]
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II saw several significant changes to stamp design. While the first series (1954) retained the design of the George VI stamps, [8] the second series (1962) saw significant changes. The series, designed by Chinese Cheung Yat-man, did not feature the traditional frames of the previous stamps, instead featuring a frameless portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Pietro Annigoni. [4] The larger values were printed in colour and in a larger physical size. [8] This series is nicknamed the "military attire" (「軍裝」) series by local stamp collectors. [4]
1962 saw the release of the first officially designed envelopes for first day covers, marked with "OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVER", for the 100th anniversary of the first postage stamp of Hong Kong. Prior to 1962, there were no official designs other than the postmarked date, and envelopes were designed instead by hobbyists such as the Hong Kong Philatelic Society and the China Philatelic Association. [4] [17]
Commemorative stamps with Chinese themes were first issued in 1967, featuring the Chinese zodiac. [9] [18] The bauhinia flower and Hong Kong's coat of arms were also incorporated as the key features on two denominations issued in 1968, the first time that local themes had been integrated in the territory's definitive stamps. [18] The addition of Chinese and local themes and features, along with designs by local Hong Kongers, became increasingly common in the 1970s and onward. [18] The third series (1973) featured a reproduction of the bas-relief by Arnold Machin, a design feature that would be retained in all following new series. The fourth series (1983) saw the introduction of fluorescent security markings in a design by Arthur Hacker. The fifth series (1987) featured 15 stamps. In 1988, the fifth series was reprinted with a change in shading on the Queen's lower lip. These were reprinted in 1989, 1990 and 1991 as the stocks for certain values were running out. [8]
In the early and mid 1990s, as the Handover of Hong Kong of 1 July 1997 drew near, British-themed stamps were slowly being phased out. [9] The sixth issue (2 September 1996) was the last set of stamps featuring Elizabeth II. This led to an "explosion" of sales and stamp collecting in the local stamp market, with many hoping the stamps would sell for a profit in the future. [19]
On 23 May 1996, it was announced that all stamps with a portrait of the Queen or any British features would become invalid on the day of the handover. A "transitional" set of definitives was issued to prepare for the handover. Nicknamed the "neutral definitive stamps" (26 January 1997), they featured the skyline of Victoria Harbour with no British features. [7] [9] [20] The neutral definitives could still be used after the handover, [21] and colonial stamps could be exchanged up until July 31, 1997. [20]
A set of commemorative stamp, celebrating the handover, was issued in 1997. [19]
The first definitive stamps were issued by the government on 18 October 1999, bearing the name "HONG KONG, CHINA". [7] The stamps featured local sights and scenes. Between 1999 and 2020, three more sets of definitives were issued: The "East and West" series (2002), the birds of Hong Kong series (2006) and the "Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark" series (2014). [22]
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage or revenue stamp, postal stationery, banknote or ticket after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail. Well-recognized varieties include commemorative overprints which are produced for their public appeal and command significant interest in the field of philately.
Postage stamps and postal history of Great Britain surveys postal history from the United Kingdom and the postage stamps issued by that country and its various historical territories until the present day.
This is an overview of the postage stamps and postal history of Australia.
Hongkong Post is a government department of Hong Kong responsible for postal services, though operated as a trading fund. Founded in 1841, it was known as Postal Department or Post Office before the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. It has been a sub-member of the Universal Postal Union since 1877, and is a separate entity from China Post.
The history of the postage stamps and postal history of China is complicated by the gradual decay of Imperial China and the years of civil war and Japanese occupation in the 1930s and 1940s. In modern times, postal delivery is handled by China Post.
The demonetization of postage and revenue stamps is the process by which the stamps are rendered no longer valid. In general, stamp demonetization is a rare event, since any unused stamp is effectively equivalent to its face value, and there is no financial disadvantage if postal customers use old stamps on their mail. Demonetization chiefly occurs in connection with major upheavals in the postal system, such as a transfer from one country to another, or currency changes, such as decimalisation, or a change of government. The process of exchanging millions or billions of stamps in the public's hands, plus that of exchanging post office stock, is usually complicated and difficult, and offers much interest for students of postal history.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway territory of Moldova and the de facto independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
The postage stamps of Ireland are issued by the postal operator of the independent Irish state. Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland when the world's first postage stamps were issued in 1840. These stamps, and all subsequent British issues, were used in Ireland until the new Irish Government assumed power in 1922. Beginning on 17 February 1922, existing British stamps were overprinted with Irish text to provide some definitives until separate Irish issues became available. Following the overprints, a regular series of definitive stamps was produced by the new Department of Posts and Telegraphs, using domestic designs. These definitives were issued on 6 December 1922; the first was a 2d stamp, depicting a map of Ireland. Since then new images, and additional values as needed, have produced nine definitive series of different designs.
The postal history of Malta began in the early modern period, when pre-adhesive mail was delivered to foreign destinations by privately owned ships for a fee. The earliest known letter from Malta, sent during the rule of the Order of St John, is dated 1532. The first formal postal service on the islands was established by the Order in 1708, with the post office being located at the Casa del Commun Tesoro in Valletta. The first postal markings on mail appeared later on in the 18th century.
Postage stamps of Pakistan are those issued since Pakistan's independence in 1947. Pakistan Post has issued more than 600 sets and singles totalling more than 1300 stamps. Immediately after the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the new Pakistan government was preoccupied with setting up the government so British Indian stamps continued in use without an overprint as was the practice in other countries.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Brunei.
Postage stamps and postal history of Singapore surveys postal history from Singapore and the postage stamps issued by that country and its various historical territories until the present day. Postal service in Singapore began with the delivery of stampless letters whose cost was borne by the receiving person, later encompassed pre-paid letters carried by private mail carriers and provisional post offices, and culminated in a system of universal prepayment that required all letters to bear nationally issued adhesive postage stamps. Singapore is an island country off maritime Southeast Asia, located between the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Saint Helena.
The St Paul's Shipwreck 10/- black is a postage and revenue stamp issued by the Crown Colony of Malta on 6 March 1919, and it is generally considered to be the country's rarest and most expensive stamp. It is rare because a very limited quantity of 1530 stamps was printed and it was inadvertently issued prematurely by the Post Office.
Hong Kong issued revenue stamps from 1867 to the 1990s, both when it was a British colony as well as when it was under Japanese occupation.
The Red Revenues are Qing dynasty Chinese revenue stamps that were overprinted (surcharged) to be used as postage stamps in 1897. Their limited number, fine design and the intaglio process made the stamps in this series some of the most sought-after in the world.
Ma's Illustrated Catalogue of the Stamps of China is a specialized catalogue of earlier Chinese stamps covering the periods from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China. It provides the most comprehensive and systematic record of every stamp from the first Customs issue of 1878 to the Dah Tung print Postage Due stamp in 1947. Ma's Illustrated Catalogue differs from other stamp catalogues as it goes beyond a simple listing of stamps. Ma's catalogue provides a wealth of philately related information of high historical significance that is much needed in the research and study of early Chinese stamps. Today many refer to this catalogue as simply "馬氏圖鑑" or "馬氏國郵圖鑑".
