Singapore Post has launched a set of stamps to mark the upcoming Year of the Rat and has lowered postal rates for mail stamped from today until Jan 25, the first day of Chinese New Year.
The rat-themed collection marks another new cycle of SingPost's zodiac stamp series, as the rat is the first animal sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle.
Sales of the stamps start next Wednesday at all post offices, the Philatelic Store @ GPO and online at shop.singpost.com. They will also be available at the SingPost booth at the River Hongbao 2020 festival from Jan 23 to Feb 1.
The entire series was illustrated by artist Lim An-Ling, who has been designing stamps for SingPost since 2013, including the 2019 Singapore Bicentennial sets.
The new issue is in a style similar to the rest of the stamps in the zodiac series that will be released in subsequent years until the 12-year cycle ends in 2031, SingPost said.
The new stamps come in two denominations: 30 cents and $1.40.
First-day covers affixed with the complete set of stamps and cancelled with a special zodiac rat postmark are available at $3.10 each.
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WHERE TO GET THEM
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Get your Year of the Rat stamps from next Wednesday at
• All post offices
• Philatelic Store @ GPO
• shop.singpost.com
• They will also be available from the SingPost booth at the River Hongbao 2020 festival from Jan 23 to Feb 1.
The limited-edition stamp miniature sheet featuring a reunion dinner scene will be sold from Jan 24.
Presentation packs consisting of both stamps cost $4.15 each, while collector's sheets with commemorative $10 stamps go for $18.80 each.
The special stamp sheets, with a design inspired by the Chinese tradition of paper-cutting, will be sold in a folder, along with a set of eight red packets.
The collector's sheet is designed by Mr Andy Koh, who has been designing stamp issues since 2000.
Other SingPost items on sale include a diagonal decorative stamp encased in a frame, other rat-themed products and a limited-edition stamp miniature sheet that features a reunion dinner scene.
The miniature sheet will be sold at $8.55 from Jan 24.
Postage labels bought at select SAM kiosks at the General Post Office from next Wednesday will also feature a limited-edition Chinese New Year design.
A full list of zodiac-themed products can be found at the Philatelic Store @ GPO and at SingPost's online shop.
SingPost is also offering discounted postage rates for people sending greeting cards within Singapore and to overseas addresses in the lead-up to the festive season.
The rates apply for all stamped and franked greeting cards posted from today to Jan 25.
A non-standard-size greeting card weighing up to 20g sent to a local address will cost postage of 30 cents, while one weighing up to 40g will be 37 cents. This is down from the regular postage rate of 60 cents.
