There are twenty-five different official seal designs known from Hong Kong, including four tapes. The early seals are scarce, especially on cover. Tapes are relatively common on cover and have been used exclusively since 1960.
Date issued: 1894, EKU July 5, 1894
Printing: Light brown with blue wavy background
Perforation: Rough perf 11 1/2
Inscription: "GENERAL POST OFFICE / HONG KONG / OFFICIALLY (coat of arms) SEALED." The 8 Chinese characters in the arc at the bottom translate as "Officially Sealed by the Hong Kong General Postal Affairs Department".
Control Number: None
Description: Unused single. Also known with blue pattern background omitted. Multiples are scarce.
Date issued: Unknown, EKU April 30, 1913
Printing: Red brown on white paper
Perforation: Imperforate
Inscription: "GENERAL POST OFFICE / HONG KONG / OFFICIALLY (coat of arms) SEALED." The 8 Chinese characters in the arc at the bottom translate as "Officially Sealed by the Hong Kong General Postal Affairs Department".
Control Number: None
Description: Unused single. No dot after "SEALED".
Date issued: Circa 1914
Printing: Light blue on thin white
Perforation: Imperforate
Inscription: "GENERAL POST OFFICE / HONG KONG / OFFICIALLY (coat of arms) SEALED." The 9 Chinese characters in the arc at the bottom translate as "Officially Sealed by the British Hong Kong Postal Administration".
Control Number: None
Description: Unused single. New Chinese characters in a deeper arc.
Date issued: Circa 1914
Printing: Gray blue on white
Perforation: Imperforate
Inscription: "GENERAL POST OFFICE / HONG KONG / OFFICIALLY (coat of arms) SEALED" The 9 Chinese characters in the arc at the bottom translate as "Officially Sealed by the British Hong Kong Postal Administration".
Control Number: None
Description: Unused single. Rough printing with lightly printed internal lines. No dot after "SEALED". Date issued: Circa 1930
Printing: Blue on thin white
Perforation: Imperforate
Inscription: "GENERAL POST OFFICE / HONG KONG / OFFICIALLY (coat of arms) SEALED." The 9 Chinese characters in the arc at the bottom translate as "Officially Sealed by the British Hong Kong Postal Administration".
Control Number: None
Description: Unused single. Outer frame composed of short bars with breaks visible at left and right.
Date issued: Circa 1932
Printing: Pale blue
Perforation: Imperforate
Inscription: "GENERAL POST OFFICE / HONG KONG / OFFICIALLY (coat of arms) SEALED." The 9 Chinese characters in the arc at the bottom translate as "Officially Sealed by the British Hong Kong Postal Administration".
Control Number: None
Description: Unused single. Outer frame composed of "bars" and "hooks". Bottom frame is made up of a combination of hooks and bars rather than hooks only.
Updated December 2, 2007
Catalog: Drummond OS1, Orsetti Type 1
Catalog: Drummond OS5, Orsetti Type 5
Catalog: Drummond OS6, Orsetti Type 6
Catalog: Drummond OS8a, Orsetti Type 7
Catalog: Drummond OS10a, Orsetti Type 10
Catalog: Drummond OS12, Orsetti Type 12
© Copyright 2003-2007
- Buying, Selling, & Trading Officially Sealed Mails of the World -
by T. Hirn
E-mail:thirn@poseal.com