“Welcome Giant Pandas” Special Stamp

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced on 1 July 2024 that the Central Government had agreed to gift another pair of giant pandas to Hong Kong. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which makes this gift even more special. The HKSAR Government is grateful to the Central Government and made the best preparations to welcome the giant pandas to Hong Kong on 26 September this year. The two pairs of giant pandas – An An and Jia Jia, and Ying Ying and Le Le – gifted by the Central Government in 1999 and 2007 respectively have accompanied generations of Hong Kong people. The new pair of giant pandas will also bring laughter and joy to the community. To commemorate this much-anticipated moment, Hongkong Post issues a stamp sheetlet on the theme of “Welcome Giant Pandas” to showcase the adorable new members of the national treasures and express sincere gratitude to the Central Government for its care and support for Hong Kong.

An An (current name) , the male giant panda is strong and agile, whereas Ke Ke (current name) , the female giant panda, possesses a gentle temperament, and is docile and cute. The background of the stamp sheetlet displays the front view of An An and Ke Ke, while the stamp features their side views, perfectly showing the adorable faces and relaxed postures of An An and Ke Ke, highlighting the energetic character of An An and peaceful nature of Ke Ke.

Official First Day Covers will be put on sale at $2.5 each at all post offices from 12 December 2024. Advance orders for servicing self-provided covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from 28 November to 4 December 2024.

Stamp products include mint stamps, stamp sheetlet, presentation pack, postage prepaid picture card and serviced first day cover. Serviced first day cover and postage prepaid picture card also available at the philatelic offices only.

• Date-stamping Arrangements
  A hand-back date-stamping service with the office date-stamp and the special postmarks will be provided on 12 December 2024 at all post offices for Official First Day Covers/ souvenir covers/ privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. All philatelic offices will also provide “Philatelic Bureau” pictorial postmark and its respective philatelic office pictorial postmark. The GPO-1 date-stamp impression will only be available at the GPO.

• All stamp products will be available starting from 12 December 2024 for three months while stock lasts.

• All stamp products will be available at Hongkong Post Internet Shopping Mall – “ShopThruPost” (website: shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) starting from 12 December 2024 at 8 a.m., while stock lasts.