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Year of the Rat - Domestic

Chinese New Year

Stamp Info

Name Value
Date of Issue January 17, 2020
Year 2020
Quantity 3,475,000
Denomination
PERMANENT™ (P).
Current monetary value: $0.92.
Series Chinese New Year
Series Time Span 1997 - 2021
Postal Administration Canada

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Stamp Price Values

Condition Name Avg Value
M-NH-VF
Mint - Never Hinged - Very Fine Only available to paid users
* Notes about these prices:
  • They are not based on catalogue values but on current dealer and auction listings. The reason for this is that catalogues tend to over-value stamps.
  • They are average prices. The actual value of your stamp may be slightly above or below the listed value, depending on the overall condition of your stamp. Use these prices as a guide to determine the approximate value of your stamps.

Stamp Supplies on Amazon

Layouts

Booklet of 10 Stamps

Quantity Produced - 260,000
Current Purchase Price: Only available to paid users
Original Purchase Price: $9.20
Perforation: Simulated perforation
Dimension: 32 mm x 32 mm
Printer: Colour Innovations
Printing Process: Lithography in 6 colours
Gum Type: Pressure sensitive
Tagging: General tagging, four sides
Paper: Tullis Russell
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Pane of 25 Stamps

Quantity Produced - 35,000
Current Purchase Price: Only available to paid users
Original Purchase Price: $23.00
Perforation: 13+
Dimension: 32 mm x 32 mm
Printer: Colour Innovations
Printing Process: Lithography in 5 colours, embossing, 1 foil stamping
Gum Type: PVA
Tagging: General tagging, four sides
Paper: Tullis Russell
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Official First Day Cover

Quantity Produced - 21,000
Current Purchase Price: Only available to paid users
Original Purchase Price: $1.92
Cancellation Location: Toronto ON
Dimension: 190 mm x 112 mm
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Official First Day Cover - Plate Block

Quantity Produced - Unknown
Current Purchase Price: Only available to paid users
Original Purchase Price: $4.68
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About Stamp

Our latest series of Lunar New Year stamps wraps up with the Year of the Rat – the first of the 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac.

As legend has it, the rat earned the primary position thanks to its cunning nature. According to one story, the Jade Emperor based the 12-year cycle on the order in which the animals arrived at the heavenly temple. The rat persuaded the tireless ox, which was sure to win, to carry it to the finish line. Just as the ox approached the temple, the rat jumped down and scurried ahead to take first place.

Designed by Albert Ng, O. Ont., and Seung Jai Paek, the stamps present the traditional story of the wedding of the rat’s daughter in the style of folk art known as Chinese farmer painting. The PermanentTM domestic rate stamp depicts the bride on her way to her nuptials, while the international rate stamp shows the happily married couple.

“A merry wedding procession of rats is a common folk-art motif associated with the Chinese New Year,” explains Ng. “The snowy scene, reminiscent of Canada or northern China, joyfully captures the celebration of the wedding – and the coming new year.”

The Year of the Rat begins January 25, 2020, and ends February 11, 2021.

The pane features traditional blessings in Chinese calligraphy:

  • 瑞雪迎春 (top left): “A timely snow is an auspicious sign for a new year”
  • 紅梅報喜 (bottom left): “Red plum blossoms bring good tidings”
  • 鞭炮齊鳴 (top right): “The air is filled with the sound of bursting firecrackers”
  • 好事連連 (bottom right): “This year will be filled with one good thing after another”

The official first day cover includes a traditional Chinese blessing: 鼠兆豐年 (“The rat foretells a fruitful year.”).

About Stamp Series

Canada Post started issuing Chinese New Year stamps in 1997. Since then, Canada Post has been issuing a stamp for the Chinese New Year each year.

2009-2021

From 2009 to 2020, Canada Post issued an exquisite Chinese New Year stamp that was part of one of Canada Post’s most popular and longest-running series, which featured such elaborate techniques as gold and silver foiling and multi-level embossing.

In 2021, Canada Post issued a special tribute to the culmination of more than a decade of award-winning stamps. This retrospective brought together in a single issue all the stamps from their 2009-2020 Lunar New Year series.

The Lunar New Year cycle showcased all of the animals in the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Conceived well before the series was launched, this collection features 24 stamps based on the designs of all the previous domestic and international rate stamps in the last 12 years.

“Even before we began this series of Lunar New Year stamps, we envisioned bringing them all together for a grand finale,” explains Jim Phillips, Director of Stamp Services. “That required a plan from the very beginning. We developed standardized specifications that made the stamps consistent across issues in terms of dimension, format and palette, but still allowed sufficient creative freedom for each to be spectacular in its own right.”

Brought together by Paprika from Montréal, these eye-catching stamps feature the work of the many design firms and designers who contributed to the series over the years. The result is a unique collectible that is a fitting tribute to Lunar New Year celebrations everywhere.

Creators

Design: Albert Ng, O.Ont., and Seung Jai Paek Illustration: Seung Jai Paek, and Albert Ng, O.Ont. Calligraphy: Albert Ng, O.Ont.

Similar Stamps

Reference

Canada Post Details Magazine - January 2020, Volume XXIX NO 1

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