Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau issued the stamp themes “Dim Sum” and “Hawker's Food” under the stamp series of “Gastronomy and Sweets” in 1999 and 2002. The third series with the stamp theme “Gastronomy and Sweets III – Traditional Popular Snacks” will be issued on 1st March, 2020.
A wide variety of traditional popular snacks have emerged after centuries of evolution, they can both reveal the local customs and reflect the folk wisdoms. This issue includes a set of four stamps and one souvenir sheet, illustrated five different snacks, include: “Rice Pudding”, typical of Guangdong province, originated from the city of Taishan, has already a history of hundreds of years; “Maltose Crackers”, Hong Kong and Macao citizens like to use it to make “sandwiches-like” crackers; “Dragon’s Beard Candy”, made of wheat flour and maltose, is produced by hand-pulling the mixture into threads and then rolling it into crispy candy; “Roasted Chestnut”, made through stir-frying chestnuts with quartz sands and sugar; and “Sugar Painting”, made with melted sugar to create diverse range of patterns, can be appreciated and eaten.
The above issue will be available for sale at the General Post Office, from 9:00a.m. to 5:30p.m., and the Communications Museum, from 9:00a.m. to 12:00 noon. The mail service for the relative philatelic products cancelled with the commemorative postmark will be available on the issue date at the above locations. The philatelic products are as follows:
250,000 stamps with the face value of 2.50 patacas
250,000 stamps with the face value of 4.00 patacas
250,000 stamps with the face value of 4.50 patacas
250,000 stamps with the face value of 6.00 patacas
250,000 souvenir sheets with the face value of 14.00 patacas
3,500 FDC @ 6.00 patacas
3,500 FDC/SS @ 6.00 patacas
4,000 information brochures @ 7.00 patacas
3,000 sets of 4 postcards @12.00 patacas
The selling price for one set of four stamps is 17.00 patacas, the first day cover with stamps (FDC) is 23.00 patacas, the first day cover with souvenir sheet (FDC/SS) is 20.00 patacas, the information brochure with stamps is 24.00 patacas, the information brochure with souvenir sheet is 21.00 patacas and the maximum cards (set of 4) is 29.00 patacas.
The stamp designer of this issue is Ms. Yu Si, and the text of the information brochure is written by Mr. Lok Pó.
This is the third theme of 2020 issues. The previous issued stamps are “Lunar Year of the Rat” on 05/01/2020 and “70th Anniversary of the Macao Federation of Trade Unions” on 20/01/2020.
In order to reduce the influx of people and reduce their concentration, on that day, different service areas will be installed and measures will be taken to access the entrances and control the number of people at the General Post Office. There will also be limitations on the number of correspondence to be sent per philatelist, in order to control the period of stay of each person in the place.