Mint. MNH. No flaws. Original undisturbed gum. From a Smoke-free and Pet-free Environment.

Born in Honolulu, HI, artist Clarence Lee was selected to design the first Chinese lunar stamp, the “Year of the Rooster.” Issued on December 30, 1992 in San Francisco, CA, the stamp met with such success that he continued to design the stamps for the rest of the 12-year series. When designing this first stamp of the series, Lee created a distinctively modern and Chinese design, hence the paper-cut two dimensional look. On each stamp of the series, the professional calligrapher, Lau Bun, wrote Kanji characters to state the name of each stamp. Kanji is a Japanese adaptation to Chinese characters and can often be read by a variety of Asian groups from differing countries and cultures. The Chinese lunar cycle is based on a 12 year repeating cycle. According to legend, the signs of the Zodiac were determined when Buddha invited all the animals of the kingdom for a meeting. Only 12 animals showed up: the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. Buddha gave each animal its own year; thus, it is believed that people will possess the nature and characteristics of the animal that represents the year in which they are born. People born in the Year of the Rooster are said to be loyal, trustworthy, observant, and keen to offer their opinions to those around them. They're also said to be punctual - since the rooster is known for waking people up regularly and on time.