2018 The Year of the Dog.
Chinese New Year celebrations begin 16 February 2018, and according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, this year is the Year of the Dog. New Zealand Post has created a special stamp, gold-sheet and medallion issue to celebrate this important Chinese event.
People born in this year tend to have decisive, loyal and loving personality traits which can make them fierce and long-lasting friends. But, because they have quite cautious characteristics, they can take time to form these bonds and can be easily distressed if trust is broken.
$1.00 - Calligraphy.
The Chinese New Year celebration is dominated by the traditional Chinese colour, red. It reflects a positive, warm, and peaceful atmosphere. Calligraphy is another traditional Chinese New Year element used for household scrolls and art exhibitions. Here, the cloud pattern is a metaphor for good luck in Chinese and ‘the land of the long white cloud’ New Zealand.
$2.20 - Paper-cutting.
Paper-cutting is one of the styles of Chinese folk art that can be traced back many years. It’s specifically designed for the Chinese New Year celebration and symbolises respect of this traditional Chinese art form. It’s commonly used to decorate a house or shop windows. It’s also given as a gift to guests and friends on all occasions. The paper-cutting of the dog is the best element of this set of stamps.
$2.70 - The Dog.
This stamp shows a rural backdrop of rolling green pastures with grazing sheep, which New Zealand is famous for. The working dog plays an important role in New Zealand sheep farming, the Huntaway is illustrated here using a form of line art. Inspiration was also taken from Māori and Pacific artworks, with elements that help to link New Zealand and the Year of the Dog.
$3.30 - LakeTekapo.
The working dog, most commonly Border Collies and Huntaway’s, play a key role in farming the high country areas of the Mackenzie Basin near Tekapo. A bronze statue was erected in Tekapo as a tribute to these hardworking dogs. This stamp design shows this New Zealand landmark as it relates to the Year of the Dog. Images of migrant birds, godwits, which fly between New Zealand and China on their way to Alaska can be seen in the background. These birds reflect the good relationship our two countries share.
Special Collector Items.
The four stamps also appeared on the miniature sheet.
Two First Day Covers, the one above is for the stamps and the one below is for the miniature sheet.
There was also a special Presentation Pack featuring the stamps, miniature sheet and First Day Cover. These special packs always come with lots of good information.
Gold medallion front and back, with the special box below.
2006 The Year of the Dog.
Perhaps not surprisingly, people born in the Chinese lunar Year of the Dog are said to demonstrate many attributes we commonly associate with man's best friend: honesty, intelligence and loyalty, with a passion for justice and fair play. According to the Chinese zodiac, these qualities were also set to influence planet Earth from 29 January 2006, as we welcomed in the next Year of the Dog.
45 - 'Labrador Retriever' gummed stamp.
Easygoing, friendly and obedient, Labrador Retrievers also possess an intelligence that makes them ideal guides for the blind. Formal training organisations have been established around the world, with our own Royal New Zealand Foundation for the blind providing guide dogs free to the sight-impaired and for the first time New Zealand Post was able to include Braille on the 45c stamp.
90c - 'German Sheperd Dog' gummed stamp.
When Captain Max von Stephanitz bred the first German Sheperd Dog in the 1890's, he was looking for intelligence, loyalty, strength, endurance and trainability. The German Sheperd Dog is popular for its versatility, with roles ranging from guard dogs and herders to drug detectors and search and rescuers. 2006 was the 50th Anniversary of dogs in the New Zealand Police and the German Sheperd Dog has been the dog of choice for many years.
$1.35 - 'Jack Russell Terrier' gummed stamp.
The Jack Russell Terrier is highly energetic and feisty! They adore action and adventure and constantly seek new experiences, including learning new tricks or wreaking havoc in their owners' backyards. Originally bred to hunt small game, these fearlessly confident, playful dogs have endeared themselves to adults and children around the world.
$1.50 - 'Golden Retriever' gummed stamp.
The recently established Golden Retriever is an English combination of Tweed Water Spaniel, Settler and Bloodhound. The Golden retriever first appeared in New Zealand after a number of British breeders emigrated here in the mid-1900s. Today, the retriever is one of the most popular breeds in the country, chosen by families nationwide for its well-mannered, child-friendly nature.
$2.00 - 'Huntaway' gummed stamp.
It may not have official 'breed' status in kennel clubs, but the Huntaway (or the New Zealand Sheepdog) is an undisputed necessity for sheep farmers throughout the country. A blend of Collie, Beauceron, Bloodhound, German Sheperd Dog, Labrador and Rottweiler, the Huntaway boasts great stamina and a distinctive bard.
A colour separation of the $2.00 Huntaway.
Single 45c - 'Labrador Retriever' self-adhesive stamp.
At first, I thought the two used stamps below were a perforation shift but with this stamp, it is usual for the design to run off the top edge.
This stamp came in booklets of 10 costing $4.50.
The First Day Cover showing all six stamps.
Special Presentation Pack.
The Chinese New Year Miniature Sheet for the Year of the Dog.
Technical information - 2018 Year of the Dog.
| Date of issue: |
10 January 2018 |
| Number of stamps: |
Four gummed stamps |
| Denominations: |
$1.00, $2.20, $2.70, $3.30 |
| Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed by: |
Asiaworks, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: |
Cartor Security Printing, France, by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: |
Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: |
30mm x 40mm (vertical) |
| Paper Type: |
Tullis Russell 106gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: |
25 |
| Perforation gauge: |
13 x 13.25 |
| Period of sale: |
Unless stocks are exhausted earlier, these stamps will remain on sale until 9 January 2019. First-day covers will remain on sale until 9 March 2018. |
Technical information - 2006 Year of the Dog.
| Date of issue: |
4 January 2006 |
| Number of stamps: |
Five gummed and one self-adhesive |
| Denominations and designs: |
45c Labrador Retriever, 90c German Shepherd Dog, $1.35 Jack Russell Terrier, $1.50 Golden Retriever, $2.00 Huntaway |
| Stamps, first-day cover and miniature sheet designed by: |
Stephen Fuller, Wellington |
| Lunar illustrator: |
Lindy Fisher, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: |
Gummed: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand by offset lithography; Self-adhesive booklet: Australia Post Sprintpak |
| Number of colours: |
Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: |
Gummed: 40mm x 30mm (vertical); Self-adhesive: 30mm x 25mm (vertical); Gutter strip of 15.71mm between 3rd and 4th stamp |
| Paper type: |
Gummed: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor stamp paper; Self-adhesive: B100 self-adhesive stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per coil: |
100 |
| Number of stamps per booklet: |
10 |
| Number of stamps per sheet: |
25 |
| Perforation gauge: |
Gummed: 14 x 14; Self-adhesive: die cut |
| Special blocks: |
Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: |
These stamps remained on sale until 3 January 2007. |
Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
Information for this post came from.
Comments
Post a Comment
We appreciate your engagement with our content. To ensure a respectful and constructive community, please take note of the following:
- No Spam, Please: We do not tolerate spammy or promotional comments. Any such comments will be promptly removed.
- Moderation in Place: All comments are moderated to maintain a positive and inclusive environment. Please be patient, as it may take a little time for your comment to appear.
- Sign In with Google: To comment, please sign in using your Google account. This helps us maintain the integrity of our community and allows for better interaction.