The Year of the Horse began on 31 January 2014, and brought with it celebrations of the Chinese New Year in New Zealand, China and around the world.
Issue information
The horse is the seventh animal in the Chinese lunar calendar, and is renowned for its loyalty, diligence and free spirit. Those born in the Year of the Horse are thought to be energetic, intelligent and often physically strong, and they like to live in quiet, peaceful environments. In 2014, the Year of the Horse was expected to bring a blend of optimism, growth, fulfilment, prosperity and positive developments.
The 2014 Year of the Horse stamps represented the strong and successful co-existence of the Chinese and New Zealand cultures. The Chinese folk arts of calligraphy, paper-cutting and line art illustration are depicted on the stamps against a background of New Zealand as ‘the land of the long white cloud’.
As part of this festive stamp issue, a miniature sheet and two first day covers were available, which reflect the spirit of Chinese New Year. Sheets of stamps were also available to order, and were a unique addition to any collection, with each sheet containing five gutter pairs.
A Beautiful Gift for Chinese New Year
The presentation pack was the ultimate collectable in the 2014 Year of the Horse stamp issue. Not only did it contain the four gummed stamps, the miniature sheet and the first day cover, you also found an intricate paper-cut horse inside. It was also a great way to learn more about the Year of the Horse, and makes a stunning gift for anybody born in the year of this noble animal.
Limited Edition Gold-foiled Products
The 2014 Year of the Horse stamp issue was complemented with two unique gold-foiled miniature sheets. These premium miniature sheets were made from 24-carat, 99.9-gold foil, and were sure to please any Chinese New Year enthusiast. They are replicas of the miniature sheet in the stamp issue and are not part of the official stamp programme.
Presented within an individually numbered frame (measuring approximately 39cm x 27cm), the large miniature sheet was limited to only 128 worldwide! The smaller miniature sheet was mounted in a perspex display stand and made a beautiful gift.
Product Listing for 2014 Year of the Horse
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Stamp |
Single 70c 'Pictogram' gummed stamp. Many Chinese characters are derived from pictograms, stylised drawings of the objects they represent. Originating in ancient times, these pictograms are among the oldest characters still in use – and a few, including the Chinese horse character, still take their earliest forms. |
$0.70 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $1.40 'Paper-cut Horse' gummed stamp. In China, paper-cuts are mainly used as home decorations, on everything from walls, windows and doors to mirrors, lamps and lanterns. Chinese people believe that red paper-cuts on the doors of houses can bring good luck and happiness to the families who live there. |
$1.40 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $1.90 'Equestrian' gummed stamp. New Zealand has earned a global reputation for its horse breeding, horse racing and horse riding. This stamp design uses a line art illustration to depict the elegant sport of show jumping, linking the image of the horse with the Chinese lunar year. |
$1.90 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $2.40 'Rotorua Museum' gummed stamp. The Rotorua Museum of Art and History is located in a building affectionately known as the Bath House – so called because it was once a geothermal spa offering therapeutic treatments to visitors from all over the world. Opened in 1908, the Bath House was the New Zealand Government’s first major investment in the tourism industry. |
$2.40 | |
| Miniature Sheet | Mint, used or cancelled gummed miniature sheet. | $6.40 | |
| First Day Cover | First day cover with four gummed stamps affixed. | $6.90 | |
| Miniature Sheet First Day Cover | First day cover with gummed miniature sheet affixed. | $6.90 | |
| Presentation Pack |
The presentation pack was the ultimate collectable and contained the four gummed stamps, the miniature sheet and the first day cover. You could also find an intricate paper-cut horse inside making it a stunning gift for anybody born in the year of the horse.
|
$19.90 | |
| Gold Foiled Miniature Sheet in Perspex Stamp | Made from 24-carat 99.9 gold foil, this miniature sheet was embossed and etched with micro fine detail and mounted in a perspex display stand (measuring 18cm x 10cm) - making a great gift for the Year of the Horse. | $188.00 | |
| Large Gold Foiled Miniature Sheet in Frame | This large miniature sheet was one of only 128 produced. It was embossed and etched with micro fine detail from 24-carat 99.9 gold foil, and was presented within an individually numbered frame (measuring 39cm x 27cm). | $560.00 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 8 January 2014 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Four gummed stamps |
| Denominations: | 70c, $1.40, $1.90 and $2.40 |
| Stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers and presentation pack designed by: | Asiaworks, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Cartor Security Printing, France by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | 30mm x 40mm (vertical) |
| Paper type: | 103gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 25 |
| Perforation gauge: | 13.25 x 13 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/Imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks were available in A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 7 January 2015. |
