| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | January 18, 2019 |
| Year | 2019 |
| Quantity | 540,000 |
| Denomination |
$2.65
|
| Series | Chinese New Year |
| Series Time Span | 1997 - 2021 |
| Postal Administration | Canada |
| Condition | Name | Avg Value |
|---|---|---|
|
M-NH-VF
|
Mint - Never Hinged - Very Fine | View price |
After one last bark from the Year of the Dog, the Year of the Pig trots into the limelight on February 5, 2019, and squeals to a stop on January 24, 2020. Two stamps – the 11th issue in our 12-year series – celebrate this porcine sign, which also ruled the Chinese zodiac in 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971 and 1959. Those born under it are said to be frank, forthright and trusting.
Albert Ng and Seung Jai Paek, of Albert Ng and Associates, based their designs for the stamps on the story of Zhu Bajie, a colourful character from the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. A once powerful figure in Heaven, Pigsy – as he became known – was banished for misbehaviour to life on Earth as a human-pig hybrid. The PermanentTM domestic-rate stamp features a proud Pigsy clad in heavenly armour, clutching an enormous nine-toothed muck rake. The international stamp shows him lounging in more modest attire.
As with past years, the pane of 25 stamps and the uncut press sheet are adorned with auspicious messages offering blessings for the New Year. When asked about their significance, Ng said he followed one principal in choosing them: to be meaningful. “Another challenge,” he added, “was to select sayings that were acceptable to both Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking audiences.”
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.
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.