2019 All Blacks - The Silver Fern.

It is 135 years since the fern first appeared on the breast of a New Zealand rugby jersey. To date, nearly 1,200 All Blacks have worn this now-famous icon. Today the black jersey emblazoned with the iconic silver fern is more than a symbol of pride for Kiwis and rugby excellence for rivals. 

This issue also marks the beginning of the 2019 World Rugby Cup, which was held in Japan with the stamps being issued on the day of the opening ceremony.

 

  1905 Silver Fern.                                                                              2003 Silver Fern.

Over the years NZ Post has issued some very dull and uninteresting rugby stamp issues but this one has proved to be different. The history of the fern, what a great idea. We get to see how the first silver fern has changed and developed into the fern being worn in Japan by 2019 All Blacks.  
See our thematic collection - Rugby on New Zealand Stamps.

(Images on this page will be replaced as better ones become available.)

Many fern designs have been used on the All Blacks’ jerseys over the years. Before mechanisation, each fern was hand-embroidered, usually by the one person. A pattern was drawn, approved and then 20 to 30 ferns were embroidered. The embroidery was either on the jersey itself or on black cotton or felt patch that was sewn on. Touring sides carried spare ferns in case their jerseys needed to be replaced. In the 1950s and ’60s, after embroidery machines were invented and a pattern could be mass-produced, a regular style evolved. Now modern manufacturing technology produces fine-detail ferns that are sublimated directly onto the jerseys.

The Six Stamps.

All Blacks - 1905 Silver Fern.

1905 - The ‘Originals’ were the first All Blacks side to tour ‘back home’ to Britain. The team put New Zealand on the rugby world map, winning 32 of the 33 matches played in the UK. Captained by Dave Gallaher, the All Blacks became household names. The only loss against Wales (by 3-0) contained a disputed All Blacks try that rankled for nearly a century.

All Blacks - 1921 Silver Fern.

1921 - The letters N and Z were embroidered alongside the fern for several years following the First World War. For returned soldiers, rugby was a welcome diversion from wartime hardship. The All Blacks were reassembled and many players, such as powerful loose forward ‘Moke’ Belliss, were ex-servicemen. The first visit to New Zealand by the South African rugby team in 1921 resulted in a drawn test series.

All Blacks - 1924 Silver Fern.

1924 - Several distinctly different All Blacks jerseys were worn by the ‘Invincibles’ of 1924-25. They were given that moniker after they won all their 30 matches on the tour of the UK. Nineteen years after the first tour, the All Blacks were determined to avenge the loss to Wales and were victorious with an astounding 19-0 scoreline. Young fullback George Nepia played in every match.

See more on George Nepia in 1990 Health Issue.

All Blacks - 1967 Silver Fern.

1967 - Following the Second World War, a fern design was used that changed little for 30 years. The 1967 All Blacks who wore this design were led by captain Brian Lochore and coached by Fred Allen. The team, containing legendary players such as Colin Meads, changed the established style of play and reintroduced a running game. The All Blacks scored a record 17 test wins in a row during this period.

All Blacks - 1986 Silver Fern.

1986 - A stylised fern trademarked by New Zealand Rugby was introduced to grow the famous All Blacks brand. In 1986 the ‘Baby Blacks’, an All Blacks team without most of the big-name stars, defeated France in a one-off test at Christchurch's Lancaster Park. In 1987 the All Blacks, led by David Kirk, won the first Rugby World Cup, defeating France at Auckland's Eden Park.

All Blacks - 2003 Silver Fern.

2003 - The modernised triangular silver fern remains, with the All Blacks words emphasised. In 2003, before the Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks overpowered their Tri-Nations foes, scoring 50 points in each match in Australia and South Africa. The speedsters on the wing, Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko, scored eight tries between them. The famous fern logo still adorns the chests of players today.

2019 All Blacks Miniature Sheet.

Min Sheet First-Day Cover - 20 September 2019. 

2019 All Blacks Presentation Pack 

Learn about the history of ‘fern fever’ and more from New Zealand Rugby Museum director Stephen Berg. Stephen has curated exhibitions on subjects such as the British and Irish Lions, Rugby Sevens and the Bledisloe Cup. He has been instrumental in organising and hosting the world’s first and only conference on the All Blacks jersey and kicked off the first Rugby Jamboree. Stephen has also assisted with research on the First World War, the Māori All Blacks and women’s rugby. 

Technical Information.

Date of issue: 20 September 2019.

The number of stamps: Six gummed stamps.

Denominations: $2.60 x 6.

Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed: Dave Burke, Tauranga, New Zealand.

Printer and process: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand by offset lithography.

The number of colours: Four process colours plus overgloss.

Stamp size and format: 40mm x 30mm (vertical).

Miniature sheet size and format: 160mm x 85mm. 

Paper type: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper.

Period of sale: Unless stocks are exhausted earlier, these stamps will remain on sale until 19 September 2020. First-day covers will remain on sale until 15 November 2019.

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 & images for this post came from.

New Zealand Post (Stamps)