Editorial Review These "Year of the Rat" stamps were issued on February 8, 1996, in San Francisco, California. Artist, Clarence Lee, of Honolulu, HI, created a distinctively modern and Chinese design with a paper-cut two dimensional look. A professional calligrapher, Lau Bun, wrote Kanji characters to state the name of each stamp on the left side. Kanji is a Japanese adaptation to Chinese characters and can be read by a variety of Asian groups from differing countries and cultures. The Chinese lunar cycle is based on a 12-year repeating cycle. According to legend, the signs of the Zodiac were determined when Buddha invited all the animals of the kingdom for a meeting. Only 12 animals showed up: the rooster, dog, boar, rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, ram and monkey. Buddha gave each animal its own year; thus, it is believed that people will possess the nature and characteristics of the animal that represents the year in which they are born.
Features 1) 4th in the U.S. Lunar New Year stamp series. 2) Features an intricate Chinese paper-cut design by artist, Clarence Lee. 3) An unusual and artistic gift for people born in the Year of the Rat. 4) Years of the Rat include 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, and 2032. 5) Gummed collectible stamps or use for postage.
Specification Binding : Toy Brand : USPS EAN : 0787793775970 Label : USPS Manufacturer : USPS Model : 1996shx PackageDimensions_Weight : 0.20 pounds PackageDimensions : L:12.00 X W:9.40 X H:0.20 ProductGroup : Toy ProductTypeName : OFFICE_PRODUCTS Publisher : USPS SKU : 3060 Studio : USPS Title : Year of the Rat: Lunar New Year, Full Sheet of 20 x 32-Cent Postage Stamps, USA 1996, Scott 3060