U.S. Year of the Monkey stamp coming Feb. 5

The 2016 Year of the Monkey forever stamp from the United States Postal Service will be issued Feb. 5 at St. John’s University’s D’Angelo Center in Queens, N.Y. An 11 a.m. event is planned.

The stamp, which pictures peonies from original artwork by Kam Mak, will be issued in self-adhesive panes of 12. The peony is the national flower of China, and can be used to symbolize prosperity, beauty and peace, appropriate sentiments for the approach of a new year.

A small gold monkey based on a cut-paper design by artist Clarence Lee adorns the upper left corner of the stamp illustration.

The stamp’s issue date is just three days before the Year of the Monkey is welcomed by those who follow the traditional Chinese calendar. The Year of the Monkey will run from Feb. 8, 2016, to Jan. 27, 2017.