-
Laser show over Hong Kong Island
As we write this, the show happens every night at 8 PM. So hurry on over, but check first to see if this too has been cancelled under the guise of public safety. Two unused 5″ x 7″ cards 064 from the Tourists Cards series are here. Grades: 1
-
One junk and two city views
We have a few of these unused 5″ x 7″ cards 114 from the Tourists Cards series (Grades: 1, $2). We also have two more, each mailed in 2016 with four stamps and blue airmail labels, and special philatelic postmarks (two marks per card). Minor postal battering. These two are in more or less identical conditions: Grades: 2 ($7 each).
-
Multiple views
Unused 5″ x 7″ card 107 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Panoramic evening view
Several of these unused 5″ x 7″ cards 008 from the Tourists Cards series are available (Grades: 1, $4) and one other, mailed from Hong Kong with three different stamps, two full postmarks, airmail sticker, and heavily creased, is also here (Grade: 3, $5).
-
Night view towards Wanchai District
Certainly this is not the conventional view of one of Hong Kong’s premier nightlife areas! Unused 5″ x 7″ card 092 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Wanchai District by night
Unused 5″ x 7″ card 096 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Night view of HK Island from Kowloon
Unused 5″ x 7″ card 065 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Aberdeen, Jumbo Restaurant
Ah, this sad story. After years with no tourist custom allowed, and closure, Jumbo may (or may not) have been sold but was definitely towed away to an unknown destination, rumoured to be Cambodia, in 2022. Along the way, it either did or didn’t hit a reef near the Paracel Islands, and either did or didn’t sink. We were told only that it “capsized” and that salvage would be “difficult”. If you think this description is confusing, you should have seen the news reports. Two unused 5″ x 7″ cards 076 from the Tourists Cards series are available. Grades: 1
-
Panoramic view after dark
Nice view of what’s left of the harbour. Unused 5″ x 7″ card 026 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Peak Tram
Arguably Hong Kong’s #1 visitor attraction, but the tram itself has been updated and doesn’t look like this now. For that matter, neither does that urban area below. These days, it’s a bonus if you can see anything from the top. Two unused 5″ x 7″ cards 089 from the Tourists Cards series are available. Grades: 1
-
Tsing Ma Bridge, and fireworks
Several unused 5″ x 7″ cards 120 from the Tourists Cards series are available (Grades: 2, $4) while two others are also available, both mailed from Hong Kong in 2010 with multiple stamps and postmarks (5 stamps, Grade: 3, $9) (3 stamps, Grade: 3, $6).
-
Convention and Exhibition Centre at night
Unused 5″ x 7″ card 062 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Central District from Kowloon, by night
Unused 5″ x 7″ card 039 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Night view from the Peak
Unused 5″ x 7″ card 022 from the Tourists Cards series. Grade: 1
-
Lantau, giant Buddha statue
No, the sky is not usually that colour. Two cards are available. One is unused (Grade: 1, $3). The other was mailed in 2011 with commemorative Year of the Rabbit stamp and a full postmark, along with blue trilingual airmail sticker and minor postal creasing (Grade: 2, $5).
-
Grand View of Hong Kong Harbour
Hard to believe, but it really did used to look like this, big harbour and blue sky and all. You should see the difference now. Alas. Anyhow, the card was mailed in 1981 with commemorative stamp, Kowloon postmark, and some postal marking on the front. Grade: 2
-
Sampans
Another fast-disappearing scene. Unused card. Grade: 2
-
Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter
Not so long ago it was possible to float around out there in a sampan while another boat would paddle alongside and cook a meal for you. Of course, not so long ago lots of things were possible. Unused card. Grade: 2
-
Peak Tram near Peak Tower
As with everything else in Hong Kong, pretty much all of this picture would no longer look like this. Visitors don’t seem to mind, though. Grade: 2
-
Commercial Centre by night
Unused card of the long-gone skyline. Grade: 1
-
Harbour Grand Hotel
Issued by the hotel, but they don’t seem to want to show themselves. Side note: Hong Kong’s hotel names are confusing, and if you eliminate “Harbour,” “Garden,” “Grand,” and “Plaza” from the mix, you’re left with very little. Three unused cards are available. Grades: 1
-
Mui Tsz Lam Village
Not the view one expects of Hong Kong, but still possible to find. This card was mailed in 2009, with five stamps (four different) and two full postmarks, along with tri-lingual blue airmail sticker affixed. Grade: 1
-
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers
This hotel, in Kowloon, is a real survivor. Still very popular, it has one of the best locations. And no, we don’t have any connection with it. Unused 4-3/4″ x 7-1/8″ postcard from 2010. Grade: 1
-
Royal vessel for Handover ceremony
British dignitaries used this in the run-up to the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997. Of course, in this card, you can barely see it because of the support vessel. Unused. Grade: 1
-
1997 Handover: Tony Blair and Chris Patten
Unused card showing senior British dignitaries in Hong Kong for the 1997 handover ceremonies. Grade: 1
-
1997 Handover ceremony
The explanation is all in Chinese on the front of this unused card. Grade: 1
-
1997 Handover: Family of Governor Patten
Unused card showing wife and daughters of outgoing Governor Patten at Government House in June, 1997. Grade: 1
-
Take a break
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1960s. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Heaven and Hell
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1960s. The caption, in English and Chinese, explains this vista of a squatter settlement in front of a cemetery. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Vagrant
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1950s -1960s. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Balance Technique
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1950s. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Penniless vagrant sleeping outside an inn
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1950s. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Father and son sleep outside a church
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1960s. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Instantograph
One of a series of late 1990s-vintage cards showing photos from the 1950s. Unused. Grade: 1
-
Plover Cove Country Park
Unused card showing terra-cotta at the southern part of Port Island, at this country park. Grade: 1
-
Picnic Bay fishing ground
English and Chinese captions on this unused card. Grade: 1
-
Lamma, Mt. Stenhouse, Doll Cliff
Unused card showing a less-accessible part of one of Hong Kong’s most user-friendly outer islands. Grade: 1
-
Toy Bricks and Phoenix Coronet
Oddly, there is very little in Google about this geologic formation. Did you know that Lantau is Hong Kong’s largest island? Just thought we would drop that in here. Unused card. Grade: 1
-
Kau Ling Chung Bay
The English part of the bilingual caption reads “A desolate place” within the Lantau South Country Park, but it’s not so desolate that there aren’t buildings. Unused card. Grade: 1
-
Leisure and Cultural Services Customer Appreciation Card
Although this is postcard-sized, it’s actually a comments card meant to be completed and dropped into a box at any of the LCSD venues. Unused. Grade: 1