Jersey Post strengthens links with China

Stamps issued by Jersey Post have gained third prize in the 12th China Annual Best Foreign Stamp Poll in the category for ‘best stamp design’.

Foreign postal administrations from around the world were invited to submit an entry from their 2015 stamp programme and 29 countries entered designs into the poll. Jersey Post selected its ‘Links with China – Garden Flowers’ issue for the competition, designed by Wang Huming and Martin Mörck. Entries were judged by the poll’s Evaluation Committee in conjunction with the Association for Promotion of West China Research and Development.

Prizes were awarded for six categories and the Chinese public were invited to cast votes by social media or by post. In total 78,827 votes were cast. Those individuals whose votes agreed with the Committee’s decision were rewarded with a special first day cover to commemorate the event.

Jersey’s Head of Philatelic, Melanie Gouzinis (pictured below), who attended the ceremony to accept the award, said: ‘I was delighted to be invited to the award ceremony and to give a presentation about Jersey stamps. We have found a real desire amongst Chinese collectors to use stamps as a means to learn about the cultures of other countries and it was a great opportunity for me to showcase the work of the Jersey Philatelic Bureau.’

First prize in the category ‘best stamp design’ went to Germany for their issue ‘Chiemsee’ and second prize was awarded to the United Nations Postal Administration for its ‘Endangered Species – Birds of Paradise’ stamp issue.

Melanie Gouzinis added: ‘We chose our Garden Flowers stamp designs to represent Jersey in the poll as flowers are the most simple, and most easily recognisable subject, with a natural beauty that appeals to people all over the world. And Jersey is such a small island, it is important that we continue to design and produce beautiful stamps in order to get ourselves noticed on such a large philatelic stage.’

‘Garden Flowers’ is the first instalment in Jersey’s ‘Links with China’ series and is still available to collectors. This has recently been followed by the second instalment ‘Waterfowl’, again by Wang Huming and Martin Mörck.

All the entries in the poll will be included in a special stamp exhibition that will travel around China during 2017.

For more on Jersey Post stamps, visit their website.