27 January 2020
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Designer Yan Lin has created a set of colourful commemorative stamps for Australia Post to mark 2020 Year of the Rat.
Issued on behalf of Christmas Island, the stamps feature representations of the Rat based on three characters of traditional Peking Opera, where characters are made up and dressed in flamboyant costumes, and with performances a regular feature during Chinese New Year.
The three stamps are:
- $1.10 - the principal male role (Sheng),
- $3.30 - comedy role (Chou) and
- $2.50 - female role (Dan).
Year of the Rat characteristics
Those born under the Rat are shown to be imaginative, generous, quick-tempered and intelligent. Rat years over the last century were 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1984, 1996 and 2008.
A highlight of the stamp issue is the zodiac sheetlet representing stylised representations of each of the animals in the Chinese zodiac. The Calendar sheetlet pack also includes these animals, as well as a round self-adhesive $8 stamp.
Stamp details
Issue date: 8 January
Designer: Yan Lin
Printer: RA Printing
Print process: Offset lithography
Stamp size: 35mm x 35mm
Perforations: 13.28 x 13.28
Mini sheet size: 170mm x 80mm
Website: Australia Post
QUICK LINK: Special Royal Mail stamp for London 2020
(report and images courtesy Australia Post)