Definitives Tour.
This is New Zealand's largest and highest valued stamp. It is also one of the most controversial as many stamp collectors believe that rather than responding to a demand for a high-value postage stamp for documents and parcels, the stamp was a ploy to fleece collectors.
Two used examples - the right-hand from a first-day cover.
Of course, NZ Post says it quite differently. "In response to demand for a high-value postage stamp for documents and parcels, New Zealand Post issued its first ever $20 Definitive Stamp. It is one of the most complex stamp productions ever commissioned by New Zealand Post - its design is a masterpiece in montage and it captures some of New Zealand's most treasured heritage. With such an elaborate design, hidden security features, and an extremely complex production and printing method, this magnificent new stamp is truly reflective of its high face value - both here and as an ambassador on overseas parcels."
$20.00 - Mount Cook Definitive.
Below is an enlarged detail of the design. I don't know about you but I find the more I look at this stamp the more things I think I can see in it.
The designer has cleverly woven together several distinctive New Zealand icons to create a stamp with an unmistakably New Zealand heritage. Dominated by New Zealand's highest mountain, Mt Cook, and two native plants - the ponga fern and the distinctive flower of the kowhai tree. An indigenous Maori rafter pattern forms a top border, while the New Zealand flag is also woven into the montage.
The stamp was printed on watermarked paper with a special fluorescent surface printed security pattern as shown in the above photograph which is visible under long wave (around 420 nanometres) ultraviolet light.
First Day Cover showing the Southern Alps.
Kupe’s wife, Kuramärotini, saw the Southern Alps (South Island of New Zealand) from a distance. She thought they were a long white cloud (an indication of land) and exclaimed "He ao! He aotea!, He aotearoa!" (A cloud. A white cloud. A long white cloud!). From this, the name given to this new land was Aotearoa; referring to the land of the long white cloud seen by Kuramärotini.
For more on this story see our post Kupe and the First Maori Settlers.
2009 Timpex Stamp Exhibition.
The same stamp design printed by offset lithography, pre-cancelled and overprinted 'SPECIMEN' was included in the 2009 Timpex Stamp Exhibition miniature sheet.
Timpex, the 2009 New Zealand National Philatelic Exhibition was held in Timaru between the 16th and 18th of October 2009.
The miniature sheets feature 50 cents, $1 and $2.50 stamps from the2008 Sir Edmund Hillary issue and the 1994 Mount Cook Definitive stamp pre-cancelled and marked 'SPECIMEN'. The $20 stamp was gold foiled but unlike the original, was printed by offset lithography. The $20 stamp was not valid for postage.
The miniature sheets feature 50 cents, $1 and $2.50 stamps from the2008 Sir Edmund Hillary issue and the 1994 Mount Cook Definitive stamp pre-cancelled and marked 'SPECIMEN'. The $20 stamp was gold foiled but unlike the original, was printed by offset lithography. The $20 stamp was not valid for postage.
Technical information
Date of Issue:
| 18 February 1994 |
|---|---|
Designer:
| Heather Arnold, Auckland, NZ |
Printer:
| Leigh-Mardon, Australia |
Stamp Size:
| 57.5mm x 48mm |
Sheet Size:
| 25 stamps per sheet |
Process:
| Recess printed - Intaglio, Lithography and gold foiling |
Perforation Gauge:
| 14.5 x 15 |
Paper Type:
| Coated Papers, red phosphor coated, with a line design watermark and fluorescent security marking |
Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their website and Online Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/
Information for this post came from.
We have just split our Stamp Collection in view of the fact that our attempts to sel the collection reflect an almost totally nil interest so we have decided to use the stamps for any postage item such as parcels and Christmas Parcels etc. We now have only one $20 New Zealand Stamp left and were wondering in view of the above, if we should keep this or not. We had 5 x $20 stamps and a large collection. One dealer offered us just $250.00 for the whole collection.
ReplyDeleteAny comments welcomed.
Many thanks
Selling a stamp collection such as your one always seems to be a problem. I never got to that point because my large collection was lost in a fire.
ReplyDeleteA dealer will view a collection for what he can resell it for. Keep in mind there will always be a gap between what he will pay for a given stamp and what he offering it for sale. In 2018 the stamp above is offered for sale at $36.00 by Stamps NZ and $40.00 by Campbell Paterson. So as I've said above, they will buy it for less than these prices.
Now when a dealer comes to value a very large collection it will come down to him valueing key stamps in the collection - the ones he wants and can quickly resell. The rest are really of little value to him. Collectors make the mistake of adding up all these smaller stamps as part of the total value of their collection. They then get a shock when offered much less.
Having said this, being offered $250.00 for the whole collection seems very low asumming its as big as you say. Some dealers will try this, saying there is nothing of value when they have already seen some items they know are worth much more. This dishonesty gives stamp dealers a bad name. Once my brother and I were in a stamp dealers shop as he was valuing a collection for someone who knew nothing about stamps. We saw him dropped a couple of 1968 $2.00 Pohutu Geyser into an open draw. That dealer is no longer in business but its still a lesson worth noteing. We found this same stamp at the stamp shop in Malaysia. That dealer was offering it for only a few dollars. When he saw the price in a NZ catalogue we had he told us that the stamp was worth nothing to him since there is no demand for NZ Stamps in Malaysia.
So deal with someone you know will give you an honest deal. Spitting the collection will get better value but is more time consuming selling stamps like this. (So nice to just hand them over and take the money.)
Not sure if this helps you now.
Regards Allan.
I think you both are missing something here with the Mt Cook definitive. Although it appeared in 1994, it is still a current stamp which means the maximum price for a mint copy should be $20, the amount you can buy it in any NZ Post outlet.
ReplyDeleteReagan.