Octopus -  Code: 802

     Octopus is a sea creature. Octopus (belonging to cephalopod) has eight tentacles for catching food. They move backward by water pressure - taking up water into their belly & spout it out through their head then. Their food is mainly shellfish, arca, small fish. This species lives in the bed of coral with much sand & gravel. When in danger, they spout black liquid out to escape.

     To welcome World Philatelic Exhibition - IBRA'99 to be held from 27 April to 4 May 1999 in Germany, Department General of Posts & Telecommunications (DGPT) issues the stampset "Octopus" consisting of four values representing four typical octopus species among many available in Vietnam's sea.

- The 4 - 1: Octopus (O.Gibertianus) - 400d

- The 4 - 2: Octopus (P.Catenulata) - 400d

- The 4 - 3: Octopus (P.Yendoi) - 4,000d

- The 4 - 4: Octopus (O.Vulgaris)- 12,000d

Date of issue : 20.04. 1999

Designer : Mr. Do Lenh Tuan (COTEVINA)

Stamp size : 37 x 37 (mm)

Perforation : 13

Sheet composition : 20 stamps

FDC : 1 cover

FDC size : 170 x 110 (mm)

Printer : Postal Stamp Printing Enterprise (in Ho Chi Minh City)

Printing process : offset

Colour : multi-coloured

Paper : standard paper (both gummed and ungummed)