NEWS

In this special supplementary issue of Manx Stamp & Coin News…The Year of the Snake Miniature Sheet and Souvenir Sheetlet • St Patrick & the Snake Crown News of London Stampex and more…

Supplementary Special Issue Number 139a Winter 2013

Dot’s Message Chaghteraght Dot

WELCOME

Dot, Charles Cao, andMaxine in Beijing

t is not often we have to ‘stop press’ asour plans are usually mapped out well in

advance. However, we have been given achance to attend a stamp exhibition in Beijinglater this year which is a great honour andtoo good an opportunity to miss. This latestissue we will feature at this year’s exhibitionis the Year of the Snake miniature sheet. As many of you will remember we werefortunate in having a stand at the OlympicExpo in Beijing in 2008 which was amarvellous experience. Our Olympic stampswere very popular with the Chinesecollectors and featured the Island’s cyclingheroes Mark Cavendish and Johnny Belliswho competed for Great Britain that year.The exhibition was amazing and we were sograteful to the China National Post Officefor making us so welcome. Celebrating the Chinese Year of the Snake,our miniature sheet and small souvenir sheetwill hopefully bring fortune, emolument(salary), longevity and happiness to us all.

Framed and Signed OlympicWinners Sheet... less thanhalf price offer.We were very lucky to have 100 London2012 Olympic Games Gold medal WinnersSheets signed by all four Team PursuitCyclists (see page 10 in main newsletter 139or web site). We were even more fortunateto find a company who would frame thesheets at a bargain price, without affectingquality, improving our original estimate forframing and transportation. We havetherefore dropped the framed signed sheetsto just £60 from £135!We will be contacting all previous purchasersof the framed item to refund the differencewhich leaves us with a ‘first come first servedoffer’ for these few remaining collectableswhich is an opportunity too good to miss.

Best Wishes

I

Year of the Snake Souvenir SheetletA special sheetlet comprising mint stamps and decorativeauspicious symbolic images.

Year of the Snake Souvenir Sheetlet Mint RA64 CTO RA65 £1.60

St Patrick and the Snake CrownThe Isle of Man does not have a patron saint, but if we were toadopt one, St Patrick would be a strong contender, even if wehad to share him with Ireland, as he is credited with bringingChristianity to our shores.

The image on the coin shows St Patrick casting out serpents during his time on the Isle of Man with the obverse carrying a fine effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Man by Ian Rank- Broadley FRBS. The coin is Cupro Nickel

St Patrick and the Snake Crown in box AG66 £12.95

London Stampex 20th to 23rd February 2013

Our colleague Sue will be happy to greet you at Stand 108

Opening times Wednesday, 20th 11.30 am – 7.00 pm

Thursday, Friday 10.00 am – 6.00 pm

Saturday 10.00 am – 5.00 pm

NEW RELEASE • Issue Date – 08.02.13

Chinese New Year, also known as the spring festival, is themost important celebration in the Chinese calendar. Thespring festival celebrates the start of new life and the seasonof ploughing and sowing.

2013 is the year of the black Snake and begins on February10th, shortly after the new moon in Aquarius, thehumanitarian of the zodiac. The Snake is the sixth sign of theChinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal Signs. It is themost enigmatic, intuitive, introspective, refi ned andcollected of the Animals Signs. Ancient Chinese wisdom saysa Snake in the house is a good omen because it means thatyour family will not starve.

People born in the Year of the Snake are reputed to bethoughtful and wise and to approach problems rationallyand logically, seldom instinctively. Such people are complexbeings, they are clever and men of few words from theirbirth. Snakes are also very insightful and naturally intuitive.If anyone has a sixth sense, it’s those born in the Snake year.This is partly what makes them so mysterious and maybethat’s why people born in the Snake year love to appreciatebeauty. People with the Chinese zodiac snake sign are verystylish, fashionable and have exceptional taste.

New Year festivities start on the first day of the lunar monthand continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest.The first week is celebrated with visits to friends and familyfollowing special traditions designed to bring good luck.

The second week ends with the lantern festival on theevening of the 15th day of the lunar month.

Chinese New Year is the oldest Chinese festival and hasmany traditions. Before the start of the festivities, Chinesepeople spring clean their houses to sweep away any bad

luck. On New Year’s Eve, all brooms, dustpan and brushesare put away so that good luck cannot be swept away.Houses are decorated with paper scrolls with good luckphrases such as ‘Happiness’ and ‘Wealth’.

On New Year’s Eve, families gather together and have a large,traditional meal. There are different types of food dependingon which region of China people come from. In the north,people eat djiaozi - a steamed dumpling and in the southnian gao - a sticky, sweet rice pudding.

People will stay up until midnight setting off fireworks tofrighten away evil spirits. Red symbolises fire which will scareaway evil spirits, so people dress head to foot in new redclothing.

On New Year’s Day children will wake up to find a redenvelope filled with money and sweets under their pillowsleft by their parents and grandparents.

Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival on thefifteenth day of the month. The lanterns are often handpainted with scenes from history or legend. People hangglowing lanterns at the windows of their houses and carrylanterns under the light of the full moon. A dragon danceoften takes places with a dragon made of paper, silk andbamboo held aloft by young men dancing and guiding itaround to collect money.

In some countries, especially England, the festivities areshortened, so that the lantern festival takes place on ChineseNew Year’s day and you can see parades with dragondancing and brightly painted lanterns.

TECHNICAL DETAILSDesign ........................Siobhan McDevitt and EJC DesignText ..................................................Isle of Man Post OfficeStamp ..........................................................Size 30 x 30mmColours ..................................................................................4Process ..................................................Offset LithographyPerforations ......................................................14 per 2cms

Paper ..............................................108gms PVA GummedFormat ..................................Miniature sheet of 6 stampsIssue Date ..............................................8th February 2013

PRODUCTS AVAILABLEMiniature Sheet, Presentation Pack, First Day Cover,Souvenir Sheetlet

The Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a miniature sheet of stamps to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake which is issued to recognise our attendance at the China International Collection Expo

to be held in Beijing later this year.

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Minimum order £5.00. PLEASE NOTE: All payments to be made in sterling and will be taken on receipt of your order.Please quote your philatelic account number on all correspondence. Thank you.

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ORDER FORM • Special Supplementary Issue 139a

This order will be dispatched to you on 12.05.08FUTURE ORDER FORM MINT QTY CTO QTY PRICE £ P

The Year of the Snake Issued 08.02.13

Miniature Sheet (6 stamps) RA25 RA75 £3.00

Presentation Pack RA42 £3.75

First Day Cover RA92 £3.70

Souvenir Sheetlet RA64 RA65 £1.60

St Patrick and the Snake Crown AG66 £12.95

TOTAL COST

Thank You For YourOrder

Order online at iomstamps.com (Fully secure)

Isle of Man Stamps & Coins, PO Box IOM, Douglas, ISLE OF MAN, British Isles, IM99 1PBBy Fax: +44 (0) 1624 698434 By phone: +44 (0) 1624 698430(Office hours: 9am to 5pm GMT Monday to Friday)E-Mail: stamps@iompost.com

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We have taken every care in the preparation of the content of this catalogue. Despite our efforts, justoccasionally, an error can occur. We shall be under no obligation to fulfil an order for goods in the case oferrors or inaccuracies regarding the description of the goods or prices appearing in our catalogue.

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Miniature Sheet Presentation Pack First Day Cover Sheetlet

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