It’s that time of year again! The annual Lunar New Year stamps have started hopping up around the world and that means it’s time to say goodbye to the tiger and greet the rabbit. 2023 is all about the 4th animal in the Chinese calendar, signifying longevity, peace, and prosperity.
As usual, Åland revealed the first stamp of the year back in January 2022. They traditionally issue proofs early in the year; I’ve already seen their 2024 Dragon stamp! I’ve slowly accumulated a number of articles on Lunar New Year stamps which you can find here. There is one article posted on China’s rabbit already, with a special focus on artist Huang Yongyu. You can expect a long look at France’s stamps later in December (2022). I also have my eye on a number of countries, such as Vietnam’s annual releases to explore in depth, so when they arrive, I’ll be sure to post cross links below.
Stamp are released throughout the year, so you need to come back on a regular basis to see what’s been issued. The bulk will arrive throughout January and early February, but there will be late arrivals scattered throughout 2023.
Hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoy writing about them.
Cheers
Catpaw
2023 Year of the Rabbit
A – B
Åland
1 stamp on a souvenir sheet, FDC, 2 cancels, pre-stamped postcard
4 colour offset
Artist: Martin Mörck
Prolific engraver and stamp designer, Mörck designed 2021’s Year of the Cat stamps. He also designed and engraved the C. Z. Slania anniversary stamps for the Faroe Islands and Greenland (to name just a few of his stamps).
Designer: Johanna Finne
Calligraphy: Ruizhen Liu
Release date: October 20, 2022
Antigua and Barbuda
Armenia
1 stamp, sheets of 8, (FDC coming)
stamped silver foil
Designer: David Dovlatyan | Դավիթ Դովլաթյանի
Release date: December 20, 2022
Aruba
3 stamps on a souvenir sheet
Designer: Yohandy Larmonie
Release date: January 22, 2023
Aitutaki Cook Islands
Azerbaijan
8 stamps, sheets of 8, 8 FDCs, cancel
Offset lithography with gold foil
Designer: Orkhan Garayev
Release date: February 13, 2023
Belarus
Second image shows the hidden security feature
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheets of 6
offset
Belarus post created this stamp with the help of the Republican Institute of Confucius China Studies of the Belarusian State University.
Artist: Victor Chaichuk | В. Чайчук
Designer: Yauheniya Biadonik | Я. Бядонік
Chaichuck and Biadonik have teamed up to design previous Lunar New Year stamps (2021 and 2022)
Release date: January 10, 2023
Bhutan
Bulgaria
C
China
The great, designer of China’s first Year of the Monkey stamp (1980), created this pair.
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 16, special presentation packs
I tweaked the contrast on the stamp so you can see the exquisite background. Once you see it, the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine theme makes sense.
The first stamp, titled “Wise Rabbit, is ready with a pen and card in hand” (.. paw?) to send you greetings. The blue colouring symbolises good wishes for the New Year. The second stamp is titled “Symbiosis in the Same Circle”. The rabbits are running in a circle, displaying the cycle of agility, vitality and warmth. It’s difficult to see the pattern on the 2nd stamps background, but it’s there. The pattern is described as 玉兔捣药”纹饰 or in a bad translation Jade Rabbit pounding medicine. This represents a wish for good health and happiness despite the pandemic.
Read more about this issue China’s Year of the Rabbit stamps revealed | Bitter Grounds Magazine
Designer: Huang Yongyu 黄 永玉
Release date: January 5, 2023
China issues more than one set for the New Year.
Five Blessings & Chinese New Year
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 20, sheet of 4, souvenir sheet
Original artwork: Wu Guanying 吴冠英
Wu is currently a professor at the Academy of Art and Design of Tsinghua University. He designed the mascot for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. He also designed the New Year’s Greetings stamps for 2015, 2016 and 2017 as well as China’s 2011 Year of the Rabbit stamp, his first stamp design. In an interview in 2017, Wu described the 2011 design process:
“The designers who received the invitation had to compare drafts, and the postal group organized an expert competition, selected two, and then selected the final works after nearly half a year of revision.” When designing the rabbit ticket, Wu Guanying drew more than 200 rabbits in half a year.” Wu Guanying: From “Fuwa” to Zodiac Stamps More than 30 years of concentrating on artistic creation–Calligraphy and Painting–People’s Network (In Chinese and translates well).
Designer: Shi Yuan 史渊
Release date: November 15, 2022
Rabbit New Year and Five Blessings cover
1 FDC with two stamps. cancel
Release date: January 5, 2023
Christmas Island
3 stamps, 5 FDCs, cancel, 2 numismatic covers, 3 gutter strips, souvenir sheets, postcard (not shown), gold sheets, gold sheet folder, sheetlet pack, medallion collection, sheetlet pack
lithography
The three rabbits in this series was inspired by “cartoon characters popular in Asian cultures and by three ancient Chinese gods, Shou Xing, Lu Xing and Fu Xing (representing longevity, prosperity and happiness respectively).” (Christmas Island: Year of the Rabbit 2023 Issue date: 17 January 2023)
- Fortune Rabbit
- Prosperity Rabbit
- Longevity Rabbit
Artist: Chrissy Lau
Lau also designed Guernsey’s Year of the Rabbit stamps
Designer: Sonia Young
Release date: January 17, 2023
Cook Islands
Curaçao
6 stamps on souvenir sheet
offset
Designer: Marcel van Duijneveldt
Release date: January 2023
F
Fiji
4 stamps, FDC, cancel
Release date: December 28, 2022
France
2 stamps on souvenir sheets, cancel
Photogravure
Designer Chen JIANG HONG will be attending a special signing on January 14, 2023, at:
Le Carré d’Encre
13bis rue des Mathurins 75009 PARIS
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 14.
Artist: Chen Jiang Hong 陈江洪
This is Chen’s 4th design in the current cycle. He took over design duties starting with the 2019 Year of the Pig set.
Layout: Bruno Ghiringhelli
Release date: January 14, 2023 with general release on the 16th.
French Polynesia
1 stamp, sheets of 10
Designer: C. Sengues
Release date: January 20, 2023
G
Gambia
2 stamps on souvenir sheet of 12
Release date: January 23, 2022
Germany
1 commemorative cancel
Germany issued a special cancel for the Lunar New Year. No stamp was issued.
Designer: Wittmann Medien
Release date: January 22, 2023
Gibraltar
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, pack set, souvenir sheet
Designer: Stephen Perera
Illustration / Photography: © Bajena and Siewhoong at istockphoto.com
Release date: February 20, 2023
Great Britain
1 generic stamp on a sheet
Release date: December 8, 2022
Grenada
2 stamps on souvenir sheet of 12
Release date: January 23, 2022
Guernsey
6 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, presentation pack, 24k gold replica souvenir sheet (100 copies issued)
uncut sheets also available
- 56p Stamp: Red Packet Rabbit
- 79p Stamp: Carrot Rabbit
- 87p Stamp: Longevity Rabbit
- £1.21 Stamp: Golden Coin Rabbit
- £1.39 Stamp: Chrysanthemum Mother & Baby Rabbit
- £1.50 Stamp: Double Fortune
“We are delighted to celebrate Lunar New Year with our Year of the Rabbit stamps. Artist Chrissy Lau has chosen symbolically significant colours associated with Chinese culture. The use of red represents good fortune and joy and is often used in celebrations, particularly the Lunar New Year, whilst the gold detailing reflects wealth, prosperity, and happiness.” Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post
Designer: Chrissy Lau
Chrissy Lau | Artist Illustrator | Portfolio
Sydney, Australia based Lau has designed the Chinese New Year stamps for the current cycle. You can see them here Chinese New Year Zodiac Stamps for Guernsey Post by Chrissy Lau
She has begun to explore the world of #CryptoArt so she might be fun to watch in the future. Check out her portfolio for samples of her crypto work.
Release date: January 5, 2023
Guyana
3 stamps, souvenir sheet of 12
Release date: January 23, 2023
H
Hong Kong
4 stamps, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, silk stamp sheet, 4 red envelopes, 4 sheets of 25, 2 “Heart-warming greetings” stamps on sheets of 12 (local and airmail available), 3 FDCs, 3 prestige covers, cancel
Lithography, lithography with hot foil stamping. Silk paper with security fibres, Lithography plus spot varnishing (mini panes)
“Heart-warming Greetings” stamps have a label attached to the stamp through a special order that will print a personal photo.
Designer: KAN Tai-keung 靳埭强
Release date: January 10, 2023
Bidding Goodbye to the Tiger
Gold and Silver Souvenir Sheet, presentation pack, 2 FDCs, cancel
silver foil and gold plating
Year of Tiger stamp: Lithography plus silver hot foil stamping
Year of Rabbit stamp: Lithography plus 22-carat gold-plated lace metal
Designer: KAN Tai-keung 靳埭强
Release date: January 10, 2023
Lunar New Year Animal Stamps – Rat / Ox / Tiger / Rabbit
4 stamps, presentation pack, 2 FDCs, cancel
lithography with silver hot foil stamping & embossing
Designer: KAN Tai-keung 靳埭强
Release date: January 10, 2023
Twelve Animals of the Lunar New Year Cycle Stamp Sheetlets
4 sheets of 12 (48 different stamps), presentation pack, 8 FDCs (4 FDCs, 4 prestige covers)
lithography
Designer: KAN Tai-keung 靳埭强
Release date: January 10, 2023
Hungary
2 stamps, FDC, cancel
4 colour offset
Designer: Krisztina Maros
Release date: January 16, 2023
I
NEW Indonesia
4 stamps, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, pack
Release date: 2023
Isle of Man
4 stamps, FDC, cancel, signed FDC, sheets of 20, presentation pack
offset lithography using 4 + PMS metallic gold
The cancel image is a self portrait of sorts of the artist Stanley Chow.
Designer: Stanley Chow Stanley Chow
Release date: January 14, 2023
J
Japan
Reiwa New Year – Lunar New Year – Year of the Rabbit 卯
4 stamps, 2 cancels
Paper mache rabbits
Japan Post continues their New Year series with more illustrations by Kawasaki Kyosen 川崎巨泉 (1877~1942), You can read more about Kyosen here 2022 Year of the Tiger – GROWL! | Bitter Grounds Magazine.
Artist: Kawasaki Kyosen 川崎巨泉 (1877-1942) drawings of children’s toys
Designer: Ayumi Yoshikawa 吉川 亜有美
Release date: November 1, 2022
Jersey
1 stamp, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, sheet of 10, 2 presentation packs
4 colour offset with gold metallic ink & varnish
A cool feature of this set may be missed by some collectors. The cancel used the same Jade Rabbit pounding medicine image that appeared on China’s Year of the Rabbit stamp this year. The great artist Huang Yongyu 黄 永玉 embedded the graphic in the background of the stamp, so it’s hard to detect. But if you click on the image below, it will show clearly. If you’d like to read more about this motif, check out The Jade Rabbit’s Medicine and the Moon | The Daily China
Wang and the China design team describe the date cancel as a “kiss” or a blessing of health on each letter. It is a very familiar design found on antique artworks. From Jersey Post correspondence.
Designer: Wang Huming
Wang Huming returns for another Lunar New Year set. His artwork has appeared on stamps from Jersey, China and the UN over the years. He designed part of China’s 2022 Year of the Tiger stamps as well as Jersey’s new year stamps dating to 2016. He currently serves as the Art Director of the Postage Stamp Printing Bureau of China Post
K – L
Kazakhstan
Korea – South
Rabbit in the Snow
2 stamps, 1 souvenir sheet, 1 sheet
Flatbed / 4 degrees / red foil / hologram foil
Designer: Shin Jae-yong 신재용
Release date: December 1, 2022
Kyrgyzstan – KEP
1 stamp, sheets of 5, blocks, 3 FDCs, cancel
offset lithography
Designer: Diana Roşcovan
Roşcovan also designed KEP’s Year of the Tiger stamp.
Release date: January 30, 2023
Liberia
Liechtenstein
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, sheet of 16, FDC, cancel, maxi card
foil embossed in gold
This stamp completes Liechtenstein’s current New Year cycle.
Designer: Stefan Erne
Erne’s previous Lunar New Year stamps won the following awards:
2013 Year of the Horse – 3rd place NexoFil Awards for Most Innovative Stamp.
2012 Year of the Dragon – 1st place Grand Prix d’Exposition WIPA and 3rd Place “Best World Zodiac Stamp”
Zodiac Philatelic Association, China 2011 Best Souvenir sheet Award China
Release date: November 14, 202
M – N
Macau
4 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
Release date: January 5, 2023
Mongolia
2 stamps, sheets of 10
Release date: January 2023
Marshall Islands
4 stamps, sheet of 12
Release date: January 22, 2023
Netherlands
1 stamp on a sheet
Details coming
Release date: January 2, 2023
New Zealand
4 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, 2 gold foil souvenir sheets (24-carat 99.9 gold foil), 4 sheets of 20, souvenir sheet, presentation pack, pin
4 colour process
The design of the 2023 Year of the Rabbit stamps is inspired by the style of the Chinese Nianhua poster. These posters are traditionally designed and produced for New Year celebrations. They show gods, animals and babies enacting Chinese folklore. The style of the posters can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty when woodblock printing was popularised. The stamps, designed by Ying-Min Chu, are intended to evoke a sense of nostalgia while also looking forward to prosperous year ahead. 2023 Year of the Rabbit (nzpost.co.nz)
Designer: Ying-Min Chu, YMC Design, Wellington, New Zealand
Release date: December 7, 2022
P
Penrhyn Islands Cook Islands
Philippines
2 stamps on sheets of 8, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
Designers: Ryman Dominic Albuladora, Eunice Dabu and Agnes Rarangol
Release date: January 25, 2023
Poland
1 stamp, sheets of 8, FDC, cancel
offset
Designer: Andrzej Gosik
This is Gosik’s Lunar New Year stamp. He studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Warsaw University of Technology and, after graduating, went on to study at the Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He has designed over 100 stamps for the Polish Post Office.
My painting, initially only oleine and acrylic, and finally watercolor, has accompanied me for several decades. It is clearly divided into two trends: realistic (landscape, portrait) and surreal. Both are now represented primarily in watercolor. In surrealist paintings I use many workshop experiments in order to obtain interesting, graphically diverse textures.
I also used my watercolours in the designs of over 100 postage stamps that I designed for the Polish Post. Some of my philatelic watercolours can be seen in the Polish Post Museum in Wrocław. Andrzej Gosik Images | Polish Art&Design Gallery (polish-art.eu)
Gosnik gave a live demonstration of his technique at the 4th international watercolour biennale at the Lokarjeva galerija in 2021. While he isn’t painting the Chinese New Year image, it’s still a fascinating look at a watercolourist at work. Beautiful video, worth the watch.
Release date: January 23, 2023
R
Romania
1 stamp, mini sheet of 8, 2 sheets of 32 (red border, green border), FDC, maxi card, cancel
offset
Designer: George Ursachi
Release date: January 22th, 2023
S
Singapore
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, booklet, mini sheet of 4, souvenir sheet, folder, framed stamp, 2 sheets of ten, presentation pack, souvenir collector pack
Offset Lithography
SingPost unveils rabbit-themed stamps for Chinese New Year – CNA (channelnewsasia.com)
Designer: Ms Lim An-Ling
Designer, illustrator and animator, Lim’s first stamp designs for Singapore post appeared in 2013. She has created all Lunar New Year stamps in the current cycle.
Release date: January 6, 2023
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
T
Taiwan
2 stamps, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, souvenir folder, souvenir folder with mount, album page, uncut sheets
offset
Better images coming
Three images are used in this set (details from Philatelic Bulletin 2022/18):
- seated rabbit – symbolizes sileпt waiting, looking forward and welcoming the New Уеаг with hope.
- observant rabbit – raises her head to gaze into the distance symboliziпg great expectations for the future: Мау the New Уеаr fulfill уош heaгt’s desires!
- bounding rabbit – symbolizes bounteous vitality: Мау the New УеаІ геаІіzе уош ambitions and your future Ье bright!
Designer: Tseng Kai-chih
Release date: December 1, 2022
Thailand
1 stamp, sheets of 10, various cancels
Designer: TBA
Artwork: HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
You can see the previous Lunar New Year stamps by the Princess here
Release date: January 4, 2023
Tonga / Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga
Tuvalu
4 stamps on sheets of 12
Release date: January 23, 2022
U
United Nations
1 stamp, sheets of 10, show card
Show cards issued for SARASOTA NAT’L STAMP EXHIBITION
Once again, Pan’s design included the Gongbi 工笔 art style by illustrator Li Jing. To learn more about Gongbi start with Cultural Treasures of China – Gongbi & Shuimo Painting – Cultural Keys. It’s a nice introduction to understand this ancient artform that dates to 206 BCE – 220 CE. This page Gongbi Painting: Traditional Chinese Realistic Painting (chinaculture.org), goes into a bit of detail explaining the techniques.
The stamp interface continues the style of the United Nations Year of the Tiger stamps, using a painting technique with Chinese characteristics – “Gongbi”. Combined with the auspicious clouds painted in white, concise and clean, without embellishment, a vivid and expressive rabbit, soaring up the clouds and looking high into the future. Show the charm of traditional Chinese aesthetics and art, so that more Chinese people have a strong resonance and affect homesickness. Tiger Pan Pan on Behance
Designer: Tiger Pan (China)
TIger Pan also designed the 2022 Year of the Tiger and the 2018 Year of the Dog sets
Gongbi Illustrator: Li Jing
Release date: January 20, 2023
United States
1 stamp, FDC, 2 cancels, red envelope, pinback, commemorative panel, framed stamp/artwork, sheets of 20, press cut sheets (not shown)
offset, foil stamping, flexigraphic, microprint
4th in series by Camille Chew
The annual Lunar New Year returns with another paper-cut folk art by Camile Chew. She designed the previous 3 stamps in this 12-stamp series. 2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit and officially starts Sunday, January 22nd, 2023.
Artist: Camille Chew
Designer: Antonio Alcalá
Release date: January 22, 2023
United States – Cryptostamp (VeVe)
Editions: 8,888
Rarity: Uncommon
Editions: 888
Rarity: Secret Rare
1 stamp, sheets of 20
Artist: Camille Chew
Designer: Antonio Alcalá
Release date: January 21, 2023
Uruguay
1 stamp, sheets of 9, 2 FDCs, cancel
Designer: Daniel Pereyra
Release date: January 19, 2023
V – Z
Vietnam
Vietnam’s Lunar New Year stamps for 2023 celebrates the Year of the Cat, not rabbit. You can read more about it here Tết Quý Mão – Vietnamese New Year 2023
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