US Stamps
The United Nations continues Lunar New Year series

By David Hartwig
A pane of 10 stamps issued Jan. 17 by
the United Nations Postal Administration celebrates the Year of the Snake in
the Chinese lunar calendar.
The stamps are denominated $1.65 for
use for the post office at U.N. headquarters in New York City. The denomination
meets the United States Postal Service international letter and postcard rates.
The stamps show an intricate design
of four colorful snakes winding their way through flowers and one another. “In
Chinese culture, the circular connection of head to tail signifies endless
continuity,” the UNPA said. A yellow United Nations logo appears in the middle
of the four snakes.
The stamp pane is perforated
vertically down the middle and presents five stamps on either side of the
perforation. Larger sections of the stamp design appear on the selvage to the
left and right of the 10 stamps.
English text states “Chinese Lunar
Calendar” and “Year of the Snake 2025” next to Chinese calligraphy at both
sides of the top of the selvage. Copyright dates and text crediting artist
Tiger Pan appear at both sides of the bottom of the pane.
The labels on the pane show the
United Nations logo and can be personalized. To do so, customers can visit UNPA
stamp shops at the U.N. offices in New York City; Vienna, Austria; or Geneva,
Switzerland; or upload their photos to the UNPA website at unstamps.org.
This special event sheet continues a
sheet design and format the UNPA began in 2022 for its Lunar New Year stamp
series. Chinese artist Tiger Pan (or Pan Hu) designed all three issues in the
series since 2022.
The 2022 stamps for the Year of the
Tiger (Scott 1290 and 1291) show a tiger walking through a thick patch of flora
outlined in gold against a white background. The 2023 stamps for the Year of
the Rabbit (Scott 1309 and 1310) show a rabbit imposed over a gold circle
surrounded by outlines of decorative shapes.
The 2024 stamps picture a dragon
winding its way through flowers, smoke and fire for the Year of the Dragon
(Scott 1328 and 1329). The selvage and labels on a pane of a 2018 UNPA stamp
(1187) show designs illustrated by Pan and related to the Year of the Dog.
The Year of the Snake runs from Jan.
29, 2025, to Feb. 16, 2026. The snake is the sixth animal sign in the Chinese
zodiac cycle, following the dragon and preceding the horse. Other recent Years
of the Snake were 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941 and 1929.
According to the website
chinesenewyear.net, those born in the Year of the Snake are known for their
wisdom, intuition and mystery. “Naturally strategic, they are excellent
problem-solvers and skilled communicators,” the website said.
Famous people born in the Year of the
Snake include Anne Frank, John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Buzz
Aldrin, Audrey Hepburn, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, Dick Cheney, Volodymyr
Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron and Taylor Swift.
Cartor Security Printing of France
printed the Year of the Snake stamps. The stamps measure 40.6 millimeters by
29.8mm, and the labels are 26.6mm by 29.8mm.
For ordering information for the Year of the Snake stamps and related products, visit the UNPA website; email unpanyinquiries@un.org; or write to UNPA, Box 5900, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163-5900.
Connect with Linn’s Stamp News:
Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
MORE RELATED ARTICLES
Headlines
-
Postal Updates
Feb 13, 2025, 6 PMUSPS to continue accepting mail from China and Hong Kong
-
US Stamps
Feb 13, 2025, 2 PMCelebrity appearances at Allen Toussaint stamp event
-
World Stamps
Feb 12, 2025, 6 PMGreenland’s 2025 stamp program
-
US Stamps
Feb 12, 2025, 1 PMU.S. 2006 $1 Official mail stamp in demand