In 1988, Hong Kong issued a set of four semi-postal postage stamps that included surcharges to benefit the Hong Kong Community Chest, a social welfare organization helping elderly people, sick people, and children in need. At the time, Hong Kong was a British Dependent Territory; as all stamps were in this era, these community chest semipostals were inscribed HONG KONG in English, and 香港 in Chinese.
The four community chest semi-postal stamps had face values of 60¢, $1.40, $1.80, and $5; the surcharges were 10¢, 20¢, 30¢, and $1, respectively. Each stamp had a similar design, with a different black and white photo of a type of person who could be helped by the collected surcharges forming the main part of the image.
Hong Kong rare stamps for philatelists and other buyers
Individual stamps of this 4-stamp series of semipostals from Hong Kong can be found for sale, though many collectors prefer a full set of them. Either way, these stamps are frequently seen for sale, and some that were used postally on covers with interesting postmarks may appeal to certain collectors. First day covers, with a card including the image of the elderly woman from the $1.40 stamp, also exist.
