2021 Lunar New Year: Year Of The Ox Stamps

2021 Year of the Ox – Lunar New Year Series

• The second stamp in the Lunar New Year series begun in 2020
• Celebrates the Year of the Ox
• Showcases the same style mask design as previous stamp in the series
• Foil stamping brings out the intricate details of the design

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Series:  Lunar New Year
Value:  55¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  February 2, 2021
First Day City:  Chicago, Illinois
Quantity Issued:  24,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset, Foil Stamping, Flexographic, Microprint
Format:  Panes of 20
Tagging:  Phosphor, Block Tag

Why the stamp was issued:  This stamp was issued to commemorate the fifth animal in the Chinese Zodiac of the Lunar New Year – the dragon. It’s the fifth stamp in the Lunar New Year series that began in 2020.

About the stamp design:  According to the USPS, the designs for this Lunar New Year series are meant to remind us of the “elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed in Lunar New Year parades.” Artists Camille Chew created the Year of the Dragon mask by adapting techniques from traditional paper-cut folk-art crafts often used to create decorations during Lunar New Year. The stamp sheet includes illustrations of all 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac in columns on the left and right sides of the stamp pane.

Special design details:  Foil stamping highlights details of the design and gives it an almost three-dimensional effect

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held virtually due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The First Day of Issue Cancellation was from Chicago, Illinois.

About the Lunar New Year Series:  The USPS has been issuing Lunar New Year stamps for decades. When the previous series ended in 2019, a new one was begun the following year. This particular Lunar New Year Series has stamps picturing paper-cut masks of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, with the stamps following the cycle of rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat/ram/sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Every stamp includes a high-quality photograph of a three-dimensional paper-cut mask created by artist Camille Chew.

History the stamp represents:  In the Chinese zodiac, the ox is the second animal in the 12-year Lunar New Year cycle. Interestingly, the animal is usually referred to as a cow, bull, or water buffalo rather than a true ox. In 2021, the Year of the Ox began on February 12.

The Chinese zodiac animal is always paired with an element each time it comes up in the cycle. Those elements are known as the “five elements” or “phases.” They are fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. In 2021, the phase was metal. When put together with the zodiac animal, it was the year of the metal ox. The Chinese also assign zodiac animals to hours of the day. The hours of the ox fall between 1:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.

Ancient Chinese astronomers divided zodiac stars into groups known as the “28 Mansions.” This is because of how the moon moves in its monthly journey across the sky. It is said the moon “visits” these mansions as it passes by. The ox is located in one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise. Western tradition places it within the constellation Capricornus.

It is fun to explore the intricate holiday traditions of other cultures. Lunar New Year is one of the most interesting, with millions of people across the globe celebrating it each year. It is a time to enjoy meals with family and friends, festive decorations, and hope for good fortune in the year to come.

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