Each year of the Chinese lunar calendar is represented by a different animal. 2001 & 2013 were the sixth in the calendar cycle, The Year of the Snake. Traditionally the Chinese have thought of those born during the Year of the snake as being elegant, insightful, motivated and highly intellectual. According to ancient Chinese folklore, snakes were well thought of. They were considered to be deities in disguise, and a snake entering a house was said to bring good fortune for all who live there.
See my complete collection of Chinese New Year Issues.
2013
The 2013 Year of the Snake stamp issue reflects different aspects of Chinese tradition and culture. The four illustrated stamps also celebrate New Zealand's growing Chinese community and are an essential addition to any lunar stamp collection.
70c - Chinese Calligraphic Snake.
The Chinese 'snake' character on this stamp was painted by Zhao Meng-fu,
a scholar, painter and calligrapher from the Yuan Dynasty (1254-1322 AD).
$1.40 - Paper-cut Greeting Snake
The ancient art of Chinese paper-cutting, known as jianzhi, can be traced back to the period known as the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-581 AD). The paper cut-out snake on this stamp displays a unique New Zealand pattern of the silver fern.
$1.90 - Koru-Snake Lantern
Again New Zealand's links with China are celebrated in this lantern design, which features a koru-shaped snake. The koru is the unfolding shape of the silver fern which is a symbol
of new life. The snake with a design of the national flower of China represents the Chinese Year of the Snake. Both have been cleverly put together in the Chinese lantern.
$2.40 - Queenstown and Red Lanterns.
The koru-snake lantern from the previous stamp is taken to new heights in the $2.40 stamp, soaring on the Skyline Gondola above Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. This area is also home to the Winter Festival, and in 2012 the Festival included a lantern parade, with an array of colourful lanterns and a Chinese dragon lighting up the streets.
The four stamp are featured in the miniature sheet issued at the same time. Below is the First Day Cover from the same issue.
2001
In 2001 New Zealand celebrated the fifth consecutive year of issuing stamps to mark the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The set this year which had the theme of Marine Reptiles commemorates the Year of the Snake. This issue featured six visitors to New Zealand waters comprising four sea-turtles and two sea-snakes. The two sea-snake stamps were also used for the miniature sheet issued at the same time.
Green Turtle - 40c Leathery Turtle - 80c
Loggerhead Turtle - 90c Hawkesbill Turtle - $1.30
Banded Sea-Snake - $1.50 Yellow Bellied Sea-Snake $2.00
Below are the two First Day Covers which came with this issue. One shows all six stamp which the other one shows the miniature sheet. The quality of these last two items is very poor, so I hope to replace them at some future point.
Technical information - 2013 Year of the Snake.
| Date of issue: | 9 January 2013 |
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| Number of stamps: | Four gummed stamps |
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| Miniature sheet: | One sheet with four gummed stamps |
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| Denominations: | 70c, $1.40, $1.90 and $2.40 |
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| Stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers and presentation pack designed by: | Bananaworks, Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Printer and process: | Cartor Security Printing, France by offset lithography |
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| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
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| Stamp size and format: | 30mm x 40mm (vertical) |
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| Paper type: | 106gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
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| Number of stamps per sheet: | 25 |
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| Perforation gauge: | 13.25 x 13 |
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| Special blocks: | Plate/Imprint blocks may be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks are available in A and B formats. |
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| Period of sale: | Unless stocks are exhausted earlier, these stamps will remain on sale until 8 January 2014 |
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Technical information - 2001 Year of the Snake.
| Date of Issue: | 1 January 2001 |
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| Designer: | Designworks, Wellington, New Zealand |
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| Printer: | Southern Colour Print, New Zealand |
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| Stamp Size: | 30mm x 40mm, Miniature Sheet Size: 125mm x 90mm |
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| Sheet Size: | 100 stamps and miniature sheets of two stamps |
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| Process: | Lithography |
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| Perforation Gauge: | 14 |
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| Paper Type: | 103 gsm red phosphor coated |
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Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
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