The first set of stamps to be issued by the postal authority of Macao to mark the founding of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) are to be sold to the public a few days ahead of the original scheduled date, December 20, when Macao returns to China.

The move is to cater to the demands of the avid stamp collectors around the world and reduce the pressure on the postal offices, according to Lau Wai Meng, an official with the Macao Posts and Telecommunications Services.

A total of 3.5 million sets of the stamps will be issued and each set has six pieces each depicting a major scenic spot in Macao. The six pieces have a face value of one ptc, 1.5 ptcs, two ptcs, 2.5 ptcs, three ptcs, and 3.5 ptcs, respectively. The face value of the six pieces and that of other stamp products such as the first day cover, a souvenir sheet and postcards amount to 134 patacas.

Each stamp or stamp product carries the words "Commemoration of the Establishment of Macao SAR, PRC".

The last 1.5 million sets of stamps, "Macau Retrospectiva ( Retrospect of Macao)", issued by the Macao postal authority in the pre-handover period will be put on sale on December 19.

Both the commemoration stamp and the "farewell" stamp have received a long list of orders from home and abroad, Lau said.

In another development, a set of newly designed Macao currency, pataca, to mark the handover are to be issued on December 20.