The Year of the Monkey is the twelfth stamp in the award-winning Lunar New Year series. The series began in 1992 with the issuance of the Year of the Rooster stamp, followed by stamps for Year of the Dog, Boar, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, and Ram.

The monkey is the ninth of the twelve animals associated with the Chinese lunar calendar. The Year of the Monkey began on January 22, 2004, and ended February 8, 2005.

Known for their excellent sense of humor, people born during the Year of the Monkey are said to be mischievous and sociable. With their keen intellect, they can easily adapt to new situations.