Chinese Zodiac stamp collector has '90% of the world's stamps with Rat designs'

Lowis with part of his Rat-themed collection.

It was the birth of his daughter in 1990 – the Year of the Horse – that inspired Lowis to zoom in on stamps depicting the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

"I've been collecting Rat stamps since 1996, when Singapore first launched the zodiac stamps series," says Lowis, who turns 70 soon. Incidentally, the Rat is the first animal sign in the 12-year cycle.