With the coming of the Yi Wei Year of Goat, Industrial Bank (IB), in collaboration with China National Philatelic Corporation and Shenyang Coin-making Co., Ltd., initiated the “Album of Gold and Silver Zodiac Stamp Notes for the Chinese Yi Wei Year of Goat 2015”, an item for collection for the coming new year, in Nanjing on January 5, 2015, and the launch site witnessed crazy buying.
As learnt by the reporter, the album was issued by China National Philatelic Corporation and sold exclusively by IB in limited amount under the authorization of China Post Group Corporation. It is the first time for the model where the exclusive limited offer right is authorized to a commercial bank after the founding of the PRC.
The album of gold and silver stamp notes, the relevant person-in-charge of China National Philatelic Corporation indicated, is the leading product of the “Album of Gold and Silver Zodiac Stamp Notes for the Chinese Yi Wei Year of Goat 2015” issued by the corporation. It is created under the instructions of Mr. Wu Guanying, top designer in China’s culture circle and father of zodiac stamps and cast by Shenyang Coin-making Co., Ltd., an authoritative coin-making company.
“New year gold and silver notes are artworks popular in recent years. The combination of note and stamp is to inherit and carry forward the traditional Chinese culture, and it is also a new representation of stamps", said the person-in-charge.
According to the introduction of relevant person-in-charge of IB, there are two versions for the album, namely the album of gold stamp notes and the album of silver stamp notes. Specifically, the former consists of five well-chosen New Year artworks: the Gold Zodiac Stamp Notes for the Chinese Yi Wei Year of Goat 2015, the souvenir sheet of “Spring Festival Greetings”, the Zodiac Notes for the Chinese Yi Wei Year of Goat, the Zodiac Stamps for Chinese Yi Wei Year, and individualized stamp of “Three Goats Bringing Bliss”. The latter consists of the zodiac stamps for the Chinese Xin Wei Year, the Chinese Kui Wei Year, and the Chinese Yi Wei Year, and three silver zodiac stamp notes for the Year of Goat on the themes of traditional happiness, prosperity and longevity culture.
It is said that this set of gold and silver zodiac stamp notes is cast by Shenyang Coin-making Company with advanced technologies, and the manual engraving of Han Xiaosheng, a well-known master sculptor in cash-printing and coin-making, is also used. The overall design of gold and silver zodiac stamp notes features distinctive modern banknote style, with details incorporating patterns of bat, deer and crane which represent “happiness”, “prosperity” and “longevity”. It is no exaggeration to say that they are a set of delicate artworks with the implication of auspiciousness. In the meantime, the collection certificate for the product is also printed with the cash-printing technology, with a variety of anti-counterfeiting functions. The certificate is made in the specification identical to the 100-Yuan cash in terms of size, so the lucky money can be directly put into the card slot of the certificate. It is simple and convenient, full of the festive spirit of the lunar New Year.
“The album of silver stamp notes can be taken as ‘lucky money’ to kids. Not only can it tally with the aura of Spring Festival as a novel gift, but it can also pass on the traditional Chinese culture to the young generation”, Ms. Li buying the album of silver stamp notes at the launch ceremony told the reporter.
As learnt by the reporter on the site, most consumers bought the album of gold and silver stamp notes as new year gifts, and some bought it for personal collection. With novel form, rich connotations and sophisticated workmanship, the product meets the current market needs. It is estimated that it will see hot sales for a period during the lunar New Year.