2011 New Zealand Experience

          In 2011 New Zealand Post issued this six stamp set to promote tourism in this country. New Zealand has a wide range of landscapes which led to an equally wide range of activities for overseas visitors. The focus of this issue is to get out there, to see and do, to experience New Zealand.

NZ Post says in their web site:-
          "New Zealand may be a small country but it has a whole lot to offer – from breathtaking scenery to adrenalin-pumping activities and a cultural experience like no other. And when you can drive from the ski slopes to the beach within 30 minutes, it’s easy to see why so many people flock to our diverse and picturesque shores. Take a closer look at the vast array of experiences to be had in New Zealand with the six gummed stamps in this issue." 

          Personally, I really like this issue because rather than just being postage stamps, it set out to promote New Zealand using six attractive stamp designs that show six highlights of a journey through this country.  We should be proud of our country and ready to get out here and showcase it to the world. Tell them what they are missing and they will come.

2011 Counting in Kiwi.

We take a numerical journey from 1 to 21 in a ‘Kiwi’ way with the Counting in Kiwi stamp issue. With each number, you’ll discover unique and quirky aspects of New Zealand’s culture, history and Kiwiana. Each of the 21 stamps in the issue has a distinctive ‘Kiwi’ flavour.

                        

Of course we start at number 1, which is represented by State Highway 1 – the road that runs the length of both the North and South Islands. As we count higher, we discover snippets of the New Zealand way of life until we reach 21 – the milestone birthday that is widely celebrated in New Zealand with a traditional 21st key.

1983 - 1984 Scenic Stamps.

 This is the next post of our scenic New Zealand series. This time we view the issues of 1983 and 1984. The 1984 issue marks a bit of a change for this series, in fact I almost didn't include it in our scenic stamps collection. Where all the issues up until here has shown actual views of New Zealand this issue moved to drawings of scenic areas. I'm not sure how well this fits but since most catalogues seem to place the 1984 in the scenic series we've chosen to do the same.

1983 Scenic Stamps - Beautiful New Zealand.

See the full collection Scenic Stamps Series - Part One.

      

35c - Mt Egmont / Taranaki.                                     40c - Cooks Bay.

Frama Stamps 1984 - 1996

A variable value stamp, is a gummed or self-adhesive postage stamp of a common design, issued by a machine similar to an Automatic Teller Machine, with a value of the user's choice printed at the time the stamp is dispensed. The value may be variable or from a fixed selection of postal rates. The stamps and machines are typically for use in retail or post office environments. As only the postal value varies from stamp to stamp, these stamps have been described as key type stamps. They are also closely related to meter stamps from postage meters.
As the concept has developed, a variety of different names have been used, including, but not limited to, Automatenmarken (Germany), ATM stamps (USA), Autopost stamps (USA), Frama labels (Europe) or machine labels (Stanley Gibbons catalogues).



The Frama company of Switzerland produced a special type of patterned paper suitable for dispensing by machine and electronic printing that could be used to create an unlimited number of different stamp designs. The British Post Office used the paper experimentally in vending machines in 1984-85 but the experiment was not regarded as a success. Frama labels were also introduced in Switzerland in 1976. Frama labels were distinctive for the whole design being printed in one operation onto the special paper, including the value, rather than just the value being printed onto a pre-printed stamp.
New Zealand trialled these labels in 1984 and continued to use them through until the mid - late 1990s. It would seem that like was discovered in Great Britain, this system of per-paid postage was not completely successful.  

This post will follow the story of New Zealand Frama Stamps from their trial in 1984 through to their last issue in 1996. Along the way we will also look at First Day Covers and flaws where the vending machine misprinted.

When Allan suggested I do a post on these, my first thought was "Boring!" Then I looked at them and became fascinated of them. Soon I was telling things of Frama Stamps even our stamp experts didn't know. Ha! Ha! 

1965 Parliamentary Conference.

 1965 11th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

 in Wellington.



The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was established to promote the ideals of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law. The Association has held conferences annually since 1961. In 1965 the conference was held in Wellington and to mark the occasion a set of three commemorative stamps was issued.  On each stamp the emblem of the Association, a Mace and Black Rod crossed, was incorporated into the design. 

            

4d - Arms and Queen Elizabeth II.                                 9d - Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

2015 Health Stamps

  Back to 2014 Health Stamps.                Forward to 2016 Health Issue

To view this issue in our Health Stamp Collection.
2015 Health Stamp Issue.

Children's Health - Being Sun Smart.

          With New Zealand's clear, unpolluted skies, our outdoor lifestyle, ozone depletion, and a latitude that puts us closer to the sun in summer, ‘Being SunSmart’ is an important part of the New Zealand way of life.

          The 2015 Children’s Health stamps embraced the SunSmart principles of Slip, Slop, Slap & Wrap. New Zealand has always had a love affair with the sun, but in the 1980s it became apparent that this had to change. Our national melanoma rates were doubling every ten years, so as a nation we had to learn how to be SunSmart. It’s important not only for adults to embrace being SunSmart, but to teach our children how to be SunSmart too.

          Each stamp highlights one of the four key SunSmart messages that have been a part of our lives for more than 30 years - Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap! New Zealand kids can still enjoy summer - as long as they stay SunSmart!

2012 New Zealand Native Trees

The 2012 New Zealand Native Trees stamp issue features five gummed stamps which portray five iconic native New Zealand trees. Each of the beautiful species is depicted in a detailed illustrative style, showing flowers, fruit, leaves etc. and the scientific name of each species is included in the design – adding to the authenticity of the issue.

 

New Zealand’s isolation from the rest of the world has allowed its unique flora to evolve and flourish, resulting in the distinctive array of native trees present today. This high degree of endemism makes New Zealand’s native trees truly special, so much so that Conservation International has recognised New Zealand as a world biodiversity hotspot. Almost all of New Zealand’s native species of conifers, flowering trees and tree ferns occur nowhere else – resulting in native forests like no other on Earth. As New Zealanders we need to celebrate this unique treasure we have in our forests and landscape, which is what this issue sets out to do.

1965 Commemorative Issues.

It was my original intention to make this a small post featuring the four stamps from the Commemorative Issues of 1965 but other members of our blog team kept sending me interesting items which I wanted to include. Now it has grown to become quite a large post. But isn't that what the blog is about, finding something new or interesting in these often overlooked and unloved stamps.     ( Anne)

1965 International Telecommunications Union Centenary.

 New Zealand, in common with other members of the International Telecommunication Union, issued a special stamp in 1965 to commemorate the centenary of the organisation. The Union, which has its headquarters in Geneva, was formed in 1865 and is the oldest of the international organisations which are now specialised agencies under the United Nations. The purpose of the Union is to maintain and extend international co-operation in the use of telecommunications of all kinds.

9d - International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
The design shows a telegraph wire held by a post from 1865 on the left-hand side, while modern telecommunications from 1965 is shown on the right-hand side. In the centre is a globe show ITU as a global organisation.

2015 All Blacks.

There’s a certain mana and prestige that comes with being part of the All Blacks - it’s an honour reserved only for New Zealand’s very best rugby players. The ultimate symbol of the All Blacks is their iconic jersey, to which we pay tribute in this official All Blacks stamp and coin issue. Worn with pride for generations, the jersey has been some variation of a black uniform with a silver fern since 1893, and in 1905 the team became habitually referred to as the ‘All Blacks’. Although the jersey has changed many times over the years to keep up with the intense pace of our national game, the mana of the jersey continues to this day.

1981 - 1982 Scenic Stamps

1981 Scenic Stamps - Rivers.

See the full collection Scenic Stamps Series - Part One.
Four rivers and streams from a rushing mountain stream to a gently flowing river.

     

30c - Kaiauai River.                                       35c - Mangahao River.