Chinese Year Of The Monkey

For the Year of the Monkey 1992, Japan issued a set of 4 stamps, two are lottery stamps.

41 Yen and 41+3 Yen stamps
These stamps depict a traditional Edo-period papier-mâché "reading monkey" doll, a folk charm symbolizing wisdom and the removal of misfortune, used as a New Year good-luck figure in Japan.

62 Yen stamp and 62+3 Yen stamps
These stamps feature traditional Japanese folk monkey dolls holding a peach of longevity, an auspicious New Year emblem symbolizing good health, protection, and long life for the Year of the Monkey.

More countries that issued stamps celebrating the 1992 Year of the Monkey are Macau, Philippines and Thailand.




Postal stationary with 1992 Year of the Monkey greetings, USSR.

Last country issued stamps celebrating the 1992 Year of the Monkey is North Korea.

- Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
- Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea)
- Golden-handed Tamarin (Saguinus midas)

Year of the Monkey 2004

Unlike the previous three Years of the Monkey, 1968, 1980, and 1992, which were characterized by modest stamp issues produced only by Far Eastern countries, the 2004 Year of the Monkey shows a large increase in stamp releases and other philatelic items. In addition to the traditional Far Eastern issuers, many other countries from all continents, as well as small island nations, joined in. Most of these countries issue, at the end of each zodiac cycle, a souvenir sheet containing all twelve zodiac animals issued over the 12-year period, including the Year of the Monkey. Many such sheets can be seen in the following thread:
https://goscf.com/t/30007&whichpage=1

The People's Republic of China issued a single stamp celebrating 2004 Year of the Monkey. It features a stylized monkey rendered in bold, multi-colored geometric patterns, symbolizing joy, creativity, and renewal for the Lunar New Year. The monkey holds a large peach of longevity, a traditional Chinese emblem of long life and auspicious blessings.

Issued in a booklet contains a sheet of 10 stamps.

Year of the Monkey 2004, Republic of China (Taiwan).

Hong Kong issued many items for the 2004 Year of the monkey: a set of stamps, sheet of stamps, SS andd two gold and silver embossed SS's. Here is the set of the stamps.

- Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus)
- Capped langur (Presbytis pileata)
- Vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops)
- Golden snub-nosed monkey (Pygathrix roxellana)


The set on commercial covers sent to Israel.

The above 2004 Hong Kong set was issued in a sheet.

Commercial cover sent to Israel franked with the sheet and other HK stamps.

Together with the set and the sheet, Hong Kong issued a souvenir sheet with perforated stamp features the Golden snub-nosed monkey (Pygathrix roxellana), celebrating the 2004 Year of the Monkey.

The SS on a commercial cover sent to Israel.

For the 2004 Year of the Monkey, Hong Kong also issued two gold- and silver-embossed souvenir sheets.

The first SS appeared at the beginning of the Year of the Monkey and features the stamps of the Ram (the previous zodiac year) and the Monkey.

The second was released at the end of the Year of the Monkey and includes two stamps showing the Monkey (the outgoing year) and the Rooster (the incoming year).

Year off the Monkey 2004, South Korea.


Postal Stationary with printed stamp and commemorative postmark, sent to Israel.

Year off the Monkey 2004, Laos.



The 4500K stamp on a commercial cover I sent to myself from Vientiane GPO in Laos to Israel.

Year off the Monkey 2004, Philppines

- White-headed Capucin (Cebus capucinus)
- Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)

Year of the Monkey 2004, North Korea.

- Tufted Capuchin (Cebus apella)
- Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus):
- Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops)
- Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)
- Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta)



The stamps were issued in a small sheet inside special booklet. Here are the booklet's cover, the inner sheet and the inner booklet's text.

For the Year of the Monkey 2004, Japan issued a set of 4 stamps, two are lottery stamps.

These stamps feature traditional Japanese papier-mâché monkey dolls, used as New Year good-luck charms during the Year of the Monkey. Their bright colors and festive clothing reflect wishes for protection, health, and the removal of misfortune, since saru (monkey) sounds like "to vanish," symbolizing bad luck disappearing. These cheerful folk toys continue a long Japanese tradition of welcoming a joyful and prosperous year.



The two small format stamps issued in SS.