2017 Year of the Rooster

Single $1.00 'Calligraphy' gummed stamp.

The red colour of this stamp represented the traditional colour of Chinese New Year, which mirrors the positive holiday atmosphere. The calligraphic character of ‘rooster’ had been designed in a ‘paint-brush’ style and could be seen as a decorative element throughout Chinese New Year celebrations. The cloud patterns were employed extensively in all four stamp designs, and referenced New Zealand as ‘the land of the long white cloud’.

Single $1.80 'Paper-cut Rooster' gummed stamp.

One of the commonly used decorations for Chinese New Year is paper-cutting, which can be found everywhere from shop windows to private homes. The intricate art of paper-cutting dates back thousands of years in China, and the rooster depicted in this paper-cut symbolised a vibrant and positive start to the day. The Māori motifs incorporated into the paper-cut brought the diverse Māori and Chinese cultures together.

Single $2.20 'The Rooster' gummed stamp.

This illustrated rooster was rich with colour and incorporated various Māori and Pacific patterns, including koru, that are symbolic of new life. The black colour in the design reflected New Zealand’s national identity, and blends harmoniously with the red tones that are popular in Chinese culture. The attractive-looking rooster reacted the pride that those born in the Year of the Rooster take in their appearance.

Single $2.70 'Lantern Festival' gummed stamp.

The Auckland War Memorial Museum is located in Auckland Domain, which in 2016 was the venue for the Lantern Festival for the first time. Hundreds of handmade Chinese lanterns were displayed in front of the Domain and more than 100,000 people attended. The festivities included on-stage performances and Chinese art, handicrafts and delicacies, and culminated in an impressive reworks display.

The presentation pack made a beautiful gift for the Year of the Rooster. It contained the set of stamps, the miniature sheet and the first day cover - as well as an intricate red paper-cut of a rooster. Inside, you could read all about the traits of those born in the Year of the Rooster, and what the year might bring.

Made from 24-carat 99.9 gold foil, this miniature sheet had been embossed and etched with micro fine detail and was mounted in a perspex display stand (measuring 18cm x 10cm). It featured vibrant coloured stamps and was produced in limited numbers.

This large miniature sheet was one of only 103 produced. It had been 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).

This large miniature sheet was one of only 25 lucky-numbered miniature sheets to feature colour on the stamps. It had been 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).

The available lucky numbers were: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 23, 28, 33, 38, 66, 77, 83, 88, 93, 98, 99, 100, 111, 118, 128.

Some individually lucky-numbered miniature sheets are still available to purchase.  .

This limited edition, gold-plated medallion featured the calligraphic character for ‘rooster’ on one side, and an illustrated rooster featuring unique koru patterns on the other side. This collectable medallion was limited to only 999 worldwide and came with an individually numbered certificate that explained the significance of the Year of the Rooster in the Chinese lunar calendar. It was presented in a specially designed case.