COVER N. 683 - CHINA

Postmark: ? 07.11.2025

Posted on the 7th November 2025;  Received on the 5th February 2026

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An interesting pre-paid large and bulky envelope with some very beautiful bird stamps on it, and some generous gifts inside.

Thanks a lot Young. It has been a while sicne I got a letter from China, so this one was particularly welcome.

 

I would imagine that the pre-paid envelope was issued in celebration of the Chinese New Year 2024, since the printed 100 Yuan stamp depicts a dragon and the two characters in the illustration on the left side of the envelope seem to be setting some firecrackers off, one of the traditions associated with the commemorations of the new year.

The two stamps that were used in blocks of four, constitute a set issued on 20FEB1992 dedicated to "Storks"

The 20 Chinese renminbi fēn stamp depicts the illusive Black Stork, (Ciconia nigra)  which can be found in many countries and locations, Portugal included, although here it is quite a rare sight, while the 1.20 Yuan stamp bears the image of the white stork (Ciconia ciconia), a much more common sight, at least in my country.  Following years of very sharp decrease in numbers,  it became a protected species and is now a very familiar sight, so much so that it is not uncommon to see High Tension poles with more than a dozen or even more than twenty stork nests.

Also, as far as I know, Portugal, in particularly the area around Cape Sardão in the south coast, is the only place where white storks build nests on sea cliffs.

The postmark is very soft but I could make out the date, though not the place of issue.