The Round Kiwis

 
       When I published my post on the 2014 Antarctica Penguins, Allan wrote a comment on the round design of the stamps. I objected to his comment and wanted it removed. He replaced it with a better-worded comment. During the course of discussing it, he mentioned that New Zealand had issued other round stamps. He even said there had been a series of Round Kiwis that looked like coins. So I went looking for them.

       In 1988 a stamp design appeared that was rather unique. It was New Zealand's first round stamp, featuring a kiwi in its design. The Maori motif around the border represents the kowhai tree flower, symbolising the continuous cycle of life. Like Allan said above, it actually appears more like a coin than a stamp. The stamp was engraved by G T Prosser of the British American Banknote Inc. Canada from a design completed by Allan Mitchell.
       This stamp was initially produced in a green colour (1988), in booklets of six stamps, later printings in sheet format were in red (1991), blue (1993) and purple (1997). The first three printings of this stamp were by Leigh-Mardon by intaglio with the red and blue printings in sheets of 24 stamps. The purple printing was produced by Southern Colour Print by lithography in sheets of 36 stamps.
        Kiwi are flightless, nocturnal birds endemic to Aotearoa. They emerge from their burrows after dark to forage noisily along the forest floor and sniff out worms and insects. Their nostrils are at the base of their bill and give the kiwi a superior sense of smell that makes up for its poor eyesight. Kiwi have been described as ‘honorary mammals’ because of their hair-like feathers, long tactile whiskers at the base of their bill, and their marrow-filled bones. Kiwi are also sometimes called ‘te manu huna a Tāne’ - the hidden bird of Tāne, the god of the forest.

Index Ten - 2010 - 2014

Stamps Issued 2010 - 2014

Dark Blue: - Link to Featured Post.

Light Blue: - Link to Part of Set or Mention.

Back to Stamps Issued 2005 - 2009.

Index Nine - 2005 - 2009

Stamps Issued 2005 - 2009

Dark Blue: - Link to Featured Post.

Light Blue: - Link to Part of Set or Mention.

Back to Stamps Issued 2000 - 2004.

Index Eight - 2000 - 2004

Stamps Issued 2000 - 2004

Dark Blue:- Link to Featured Post.

Light Blue:- Link to Part of Set or Mention.

Back to Stamps Issued 1995 - 1999.

Queen Victoria Fiscal Stamps - Part Two.

Back to QV Fiscal Stamps - Part One.               Forward to QV Fiscal Stamps - Part Three.



1880 Queen Victoria Long-Type Postal Fiscals.

The 1880 Queen Victoria Long types are by far the most diverse set of revenue stamps printed in New Zealand. 14 different printings were made over the 51-year history of the issue (even long after Queen Victoria had died!) with different papers, watermarks and perforations evident between each issue. This, combined with the wide range of values, from 4d to 1000 pounds, makes this an exceptionally interesting set to study.

A History of the Issue.

        By 1878 the die II revenue printing plates were beginning to wear. This resulted in several options for their replacement being considered. In 1878 and the following years, several important decisions were made by the New Zealand government. These resulted in major changes to both postage and revenue stamp production.

1878

        It was decided that for the 1d denomination, most in demand of the revenue stamps, a new stamp of a completely different design would be introduced. Since this stamp would be used on many different documents a more convenient size was also considered. This resulted in the introduction of a smaller sized stamp based upon the British 1d Inland Revenue stamp. The design also reflected some of the current stamps in New Zealand's 1882 Second Side-Faced issue. Initially, this stamp was printed in lilac (15th June 1878) but due to the stamp's faded appearance was later printed in blue (from 14th December 1878).

            

1878 - 1d Lilac.                                  1878 - 1d Blue.

1992 - Second Heritage Series - Emerging Years 1920s.

Overview of the Complete Series.               Forward to Emerging Years 1930s

The 1920s.

         The 1920s were a good time to be alive. Sandwiched between World War I and the Great Depression, they were an oasis of peace and prosperity. They were boom years in New Zealand. The toll from war and disease touched countless homes and the losses would never be forgotten. But in this war-weary country, youth, both male and female, were ready to rebel a little, to test the limits of social customs. It was youth that became a force of its own for the first time. The arrival of the 'wireless', reliable motorcars, the cinema, The Invincibles and increased leisure time, combined with a post-war mood of release and optimism, created a period known for its love of fun and leisure activities.

       That is how NZ Post describes it on their website.  This is a period that stood-out between two decades of doom and gloom. With the appearance of radio, cars and air travel, it is easy to see why this generation stood out as different. They had things their parents never had and so they wanted to experience this new era of new ideas, new technology and new freedoms. 

       My parents were born in the twenties, Mum in 1926 and Dad in 1929. They never remembered much, being so young, their first real memories were from the thirties and the Great Depression.

      I like the stamps of this issue, they are interesting, like they are calling me to tell their stories. Each stamp gives me a feeling of boldness and confidence. The words 'New Zealand' and the value is shown clearly with the stamp's title in smaller text across the bottom. A simple, yet effective design repeated over all six stamps. They even have a twenties look about them too.

2014 Ross Dependency - Penguins of Antarctica.

       
       Antarctica is a cold remote place few people other than scientists get to visit. But with many people there is a fasciation with animals and scenery from this continuant. That is why each year the annual Ross Dependency issue is so well received by stamp collectors.   

         Penguins are the most commonly found birds in Antarctica, and the Ross Dependency 2014 stamp issue features five unique breeds of penguin that choose to call this cold, dry continent home. The stamps are unusual in that they round instead of the usual rectangle shape.

         Truly flightless birds, penguins have evolved traits that make them perfect for icy conditions such as those of Antarctica. While many different colonies of penguins live in Antarctica, the majority of the world’s penguins prefer to inhabit other cooler waters in the Southern Hemisphere. A layer of fat under their feathers keeps them warm and a white belly acts as a camouflage keeping them safe from predators when swimming under ice.

Second Heritage Series - Emerging Years Series.

  First Heritage Series.                    Second Heritage Series.                    Third Heritage Series.

 

    The second series of Heritage Stamps comprised four issues during 1992 through 1994. Four issues about four decades, the 1920s, the 30s, the 40s, and the 50s. These were decades of change, a time when New Zealand grew to emerge as the nation it is today. It would be impossible to record every event over every ten years on six small postage stamps but that is not intended here. These issues are not recording history, they are recording cultural and heritage change. They try to capture the atmosphere, the mood of change within each decade, as well as recording events or inventions that helped drive these changes.

       There are four issues and so I decided to create four posts, each linked from this page. I hope to publish them all over the next few weeks. But for now here is the whole series, all four issues, comprising 24 stamps with brief captions. As I complete each decade I might come back and add more text here as well.

Queen Victoria Fiscal Stamps - Part One.

Forward to QV Fiscal Stamps - Part Two.

When New Zealand introduced postage stamps in 1855 it soon became apparent that stamps could also be useful for the payment Government taxes and levies. This was introduced in 1867 and soon became known as 'Stamp Duty.' Upon payment, a revenue stamp (Fiscal Stamp) would be attached to the transaction document as proof of payment. Often these stamps would also be signed and dated as well. Sometimes holes were punched in them as well to signify that they were used. 

Is this wrong? The Date is too early!



         Revenue stamps were officially introduced on 1st January 1867, however, it appears that some were released earlier as the above image clearly shows the date 17/12/1866. It is unlikely this date was written in error as presumably the new year would well and truly be entrenched in the clerk's mind by November 1867, some 11 months later, so we should consider the date must have been November 1866 and the stamp was used before its official issue date.

1990 - Treaty of Waitangi 150th Anniversary

 For an index to all our posts concerning The Maori People.

        I have just completed a series of posts on the six heritage issues leading up to the celebrating of 150 years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi so I thought I should include the stamp issue on the anniversary itself. My purpose here is not to go into great detail on the history and debate surrounding this treaty, but rather just celebrate it as the founding document of the nation of New Zealand.

              The Treaty of Waitangi (Māori: Tiriti o Waitangi) is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand.
        The Treaty established a British Governor of New Zealand, recognised Māori ownership of their lands and other properties, and gave the Māori the rights of British subjects. The English and Māori versions of the Treaty differed significantly, so there is no consensus as to exactly what was agreed to. From the British point of view, the Treaty gave Britain sovereignty over New Zealand, and gave the Governor the right to govern the country. Māori believed they ceded to the Crown a right of governance in return for protection, without giving up their authority to manage their own affairs.
         After the initial signing at Waitangi, copies of the Treaty were taken around New Zealand and over the following months many other chiefs signed. In total there are nine copies of the Treaty of Waitangi including the original signed on 6 February 1840. Around 530 to 540 chiefs, at least 13 of them women, signed the Treaty of Waitangi.

1963 - 1973 Railway Locomotives.

         For other stamps with a train theme see our collection Trains of New Zealand.
                    1963 Railway Century.

A two value issue to mark 100 years of railways in New Zealand. The first railway line in New Zealand ran from Christchurch to Ferrymead and was completed in 1863, the centenary of the event was commemorated by an issue of these two stamps.

The 10 Class DF (2-Co+Co-2) introduced in 1954 were New Zealand's first main-line diesel-electric locomotive. Built by English Electric of Great Britain the DFs and their half size sisters the DGs were soon superseded by the more robust USA build DA Class. Although depicted here hauling a Main Trunk express under the watchful Mount Ruapehu in the background, they spent most of their working life on less important routes such as the Bay of Plenty line. 

Trains of New Zealand.

      

   Another of my interests besides Stamps is Trains. I like any trains anywhere but since this blog is about New Zealand stamps I suppose, I should display New Zealand trains.

Over the years New Zealand has issued four sets of train stamps plus quite a few others depicting trains or train related subjects. Let's have a look at them.

Index Seven - 1995 - 1999

Stamps Issued 1995 1999

Dark Blue:- Link to Featured Post.

Light Blue:- Link to Part of Set or Mention.

Back to Stamps Issued 1990 - 1994.

2014 - The Hobbit III

The Battle Of Five Armies.

See my complete collection of Lord of the Ring / The Hobbit stamps.

For a collection of all the miniature sheets released with this issue,

view our post 2016 A Journey Through Middle-earth.

          'The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies' brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. To commemorate the final film in this thrilling trilogy, New Zealand Post has created official stamps and legal tender coins from Middle-earth.
         The writers of this blog first considered waiting until we had seen the movie before publishing a post on it but recently we decided to release this simple view of the stamps with further details and items being added later.

                                     

     80c – Smaug.                                                             $1.40 – Bilbo Baggins.

1988 - 1990 Heritage Series.

         First Heritage Series.                Second Heritage Series.                 Third Heritage Series.

          During the late 80s and early 90s, there were three of the Heritage series produced by New Zealand Post. This page gives a brief look, an overview of the issues comprising the first series, issued during the period 1988 - 1990.  These six issues are part of the 'Heritage' series leading up to the 1990 150th anniversary celebrations in New Zealand. The year 1990 marked 150 years since sovereignty was vested in the English crown. 

Note:- This page should be considered as summary or overview with links to each

 issue posted in greater detail.

1990 Heritage Set 6 - The Maori People.

Back to Set 5 - The Achievers.          Heritage Series Overview.

        This issue is the final in the six part series leading up to the 1990 150th Anniversary of New Zealand. The six stamps each depict a different aspect of Maori culture shown through story-telling, craft-work, and song or dance.
        Many hundreds of years ago, ancestors of the Maori are believed to have sailed from the west - to settle in the Pacific Islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.  A few hundred years later, their descendants settled the Marquesas and Cook Islands - what is now known as Hawaiki, or the homeland of the New Zealand Maori.  It was from here, around 800AD, that the first canoes ventured south to Aotearoa (New Zealand).
        As well as introducing the dog, the rat and edible plants to this land, these settlers also brought with them their Polynesian cultural heritage - which has developed over time to become the Maori culture as we know it today.

For an index on stamps relating to Maori see New Zealand Maori.

1990 Heritage Set 5 - The Achievers.

Back to Set 4 - The Ships.                        Forward to Set 6 - The Maori People.

Heritage Series Overview.

          This issue titled "The Achievers" was the fifth in the 'Heritage ' series of stamps leading up to the 1990 150th anniversary celebrations in New Zealand. The Achievers is a very special stamp issue which salutes some of the people from our past whose achievements have gone largely unheralded by the rest of the world - yet too many New Zealanders, they are legendary for their dedication and courage. Three woman and three men all who in their own way made a difference to the culture and heritage of New Zealand.



2014 - The Hobbit Personalised Stamps

        New Zealand Post wrote on their web site, "Join the mighty race of Dwarves with a brand new range of personalised stamps made especially for the final film in Sir Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies."

         For Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit fans this is another interesting and unusual stamp issue. It was released on the 15th October and consists of two parts. First is the collectors part which features a miniature sheet and its First Day Cover. Included on this sheet are the two stamp which can be seen to the right. Since these two stamps will be only sold in miniature sheets it is not expected that many will be used for postage.

        The second part is where a person can up-load their photo and make personal stamps for their own use. The idea here is that a person selects the dwarf of their choice whose hair and other features will be applied to their own photo. (See the pictures further down this post.)  The photo is then used to create a personalised stamp that is purchased in a sheet of 20 for $25.90.  

1925 Dunedin Exhibition

          Early in 1925 the organisers of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, which was to open in Dunedin in November of that year, approached the Postmaster-General with a request that a set of commemorative stamps be produced for the event. Mr H Linley Richardson was asked to prepare a suitable stamp design which was then printed at the Government Printing Office, New Zealand.
          The Dunedin Exhibition stamps are unusual in that they were relief printed from line etched zinc plates on paper that had been toned using lithographic plates. Like the Christchurch Exhibition, the stamps were only sold at the exhibition and the numbers sold were quite small.

         The stamps show a view of the 400 meter Grand Court with the dome of the Festival Hall in the background. The top and side borders feature a traditional Maori Taniko weaving pattern.

Index Six - 1990 - 1994

Stamps Issued 1990 1994

Back to Stamps Issued 1980 1989.

Index Five - 1980 - 1989

Stamps Issued 1980 1989

Back to Stamps Issued 1970 1979.

Index Four - 1970 - 1979.

Stamps Issued 1970 1979

1990 Heritage Set 4 - The Ships.

Back to Set 3 - The Sea.                         Forward to Set 5 - The Achievers.

Heritage Series Overview.

This issue titled "The Ships" was is the fourth in the 'Heritage ' stamp series leading up to the 1990 150th anniversary celebrations in New Zealand.

 The stamps were a salute to the vessels that brought Polynesian voyagers, settlers and the other immigrants that determined our ancestry. These vessels have been selected, not because of their famous voyages or discoveries but for the contribution they made to New Zealand Society we know today.  From voyaging canoes to steamships, these craft carried the first New Zealanders through dangerous unchartered waters to an unseen landfall across the world.

1926 King George V Admirals.

1926  New Values.

    King George V Admirals. 

           By 1924 the demand for two and three shilling stamps was high enough that postal authorities considered it was worth producing new stamps rather than using 'Duty' stamps of those values. It was also decided to replace the one penny dominion with a new stamp as the plate needed replacing and the universal/dominion design had been in use for twenty-five years. Therefore these stamps must be considered as definitive stamps, usually seen by collectors as an addition to the 1915 King George V Definitives.

          The former Governor-General, Viscount Jellicoe, had been the commander of the British fleet at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, and so it was decided that the two and three shilling stamps would feature a portrait of King George V wearing the uniform of Admiral of the Fleet. General Sir Charles Fergusson, who had succeeded Viscount Jellicoe as Governor-General, was a distinguished soldier so the penny stamp was designed depicting King George V in the uniform of an Army Field Marshall.
          I have never paid much attention to these three stamps, while they are included in my collection, I didn't know much about them. When I discovered the story behind these designs I realised what a clever idea it was. Here is an issue that pays tribute to both the previous and current Governor-Generals of New Zealand, and the current King George V. 

1915 King George V

Definitive Tour.
Back to Edward VI Definitives.                              Forward to 1935 Pictorials.

1915 -  King George V

Definitive Issue.

The King Edward VII stamps had only been on issue for six months when he died in 1910 and his son King George V ascended to the throne. It was quickly decided that a new set of stamps should replace the Edward VII stamps, but it would be five years before the new set was issued. There were various reasons for the five year delay - difficulty finding a designer, difficulty sourcing appropriate inks, and the perfectionist nature of the then Postmaster-General Sir Heaton Rhodes, himself a keen philatelist. Rhodes was keen to return to the simplicity of the 1855 Chalon Heads and the English 1840 penny black and two pence blue stamps. If you compare the George V stamp on the left with the English 1d Black on the right, you can see how closely they resemble each other.

The initial issue contained the 1½d, 2d violet, 2½d, 3d, 4d yellow, 4½d, 6d, 7½d, 9d and 1/- stamps. The 1½d, 4½d and 7½d stamps were new values introduced for parcel post and it was not thought necessary to have 5d and 8d values. All this careful planning came unstuck when World War I began and a halfpenny tax was imposed on all mail other than newspapers. As the new issue did not have 5d or 8d stamps, the Edward VII issue stamps continued in use until 1922 when 5d and 8d recess print stamps were finally introduced. However, within a week of issue of the 8d blue it was realised that the colour was too easily confused with the 2½d stamp, so the stamp was reprinted brown as the 7½d brown stamp had been withdrawn by that stage. This ought to have made the 8d blue stamp very rare, but pressure from stamp collectors forced the post office to continue selling the stamps.

In 1915 the tax on receipts was increased to 2d. The 2d violet stamp was too dark for pen cancellations to show up, and so the colours of the 2d violet and 4d yellow were swapped in 1916. Many used copies of the 4d yellow were cancelled after it was withdrawn and 1915 cancellations are hard to find.