1898 Pictorials
|
|
Cat. |
Mint Unhinged |
Mint Hinged |
Fine Used |
½d |
Mount Cook |
9a |
$27.00 |
|
$10.80 |
|
$1.35 |
|
1d |
Lake Taupo / Mount Ruapehu |
9b |
$21.60 |
|
$9.00 |
|
$0.90 |
|
2d |
Pembroke Peak |
9c |
$315.00 |
|
$135.00 |
|
$0.90 |
|
2½d |
Lake Wakitipu (design error) |
9d |
$54.00 |
|
$27.00 |
|
$67.50 |
|
2½d |
Lake Wakatipu |
9e |
$126.00 |
|
$54.00 |
|
$13.50 |
|
3d |
Huias |
9f |
$108.00 |
|
$54.00 |
|
$2.70 |
|
4d |
The White Terraces |
9g |
$81.00 |
|
$45.00 |
|
$40.50 |
|
5d |
Otira Gorge / Mount Ruapehu |
9h |
$225.00 |
|
$76.50 |
|
$10.80 |
|
6d |
Green Kiwi |
9i |
$675.00 |
|
$225.00 |
|
$72.00 |
|
8d |
Canoe |
9j |
$225.00 |
|
$99.00 |
|
$22.50 |
|
9d |
The Pink Terraces |
9k |
$225.00 |
|
$99.00 |
|
$27.00 |
|
1/- |
Kea and Kaka |
9l |
$360.00 |
|
$157.50 |
|
$13.50 |
|
2/- |
Milford Sound / Mitre Peak |
9m |
$990.00 |
|
$342.00 |
|
$67.50 |
|
5/- |
Mount Cook |
9n |
$1,800.00 |
|
$697.50 |
|
$540.00 |
|
|
|
|
Set of 14 |
9o |
$4,970.95 |
|
$1,929.75 |
|
$836.60 |
|
The stamps in this issue were selected from over 2,400
entries in a design competition with the brief to include a representation
of characteristic or notable New Zealand scenery in the design and a stamp
issue symbolic of the land. The quality of the winning entries were so
great that a decision was made to print the issue using the more expensive
recess printing method, with the anticipation that costs would be covered
many times over by sales to stamp collectors.
The issue, following
the lead of New South Wales, was one of the world's earliest pictorial
definitive issues. The stamps were engraved in England along with initial
printings, and subsequently printed in New Zealand from new plates supplied
from England.
The same denominations were printed as the Second
Sidefaces with a new 9d stamp for overseas parcels, and two and five
shilling stamps for parcels, fiscals and telegrams.
The half pence
stamp features Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. Two alpine
flowers are featured on the stamp - the Ranunculus and Celmisia.
The
one penny stamp features Lake Taupo with Mount Ruapehu in the background
and a Cabbage Tree on the left. It was the first two colour printed stamp
in New Zealand. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand covering over
600 square kilometers. The lake is well known for rainbow trout which were
introduced in 1884.
The twopence stamp features Pembroke Peak in
Milford Sound.
The two and a half pence stamp features Lake
Wakatipu. Initially printed with Wakatipu incorrectly spelt Wakitipu, a new
plate with the correct spelling was produced a month after the initial
issue. Interest amongst collectors for the original error was so high
though, that special printings were made and the mint stamp is easy to
track down, although used copies are rarer. Wakatipu is the second largest
lake in the South Island and lies at the southern end of the Southern Alps
in Central Otago. Mount Earnslaw is shown in the background and New Zealand
flax, cabbage trees and toi toi frame the scene.
The threepence
stamp features the Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris), a now extinct New
Zealand native bird. The Huia was prized for its plumage, and tail feathers
were used by Maori as symbols of rank and adornment by chiefs.
The
fourpence features the White Terraces which were produced by geothermally
heated water which left thick white layers of limestone. Located on the
edges of Lake Rotomahana near Rotorua, they were considered the eighth
wonder of the natural world until they were completely destroyed by the
violent volcanic eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886. The eruption claimed
around 150 lives and is the most violent and destructive volcanic eruption
in recent history.
The five penny stamp features Otira Gorge with
an inset view of Mount Ruapehu. Otira Gorge, in the central South Island,
is on the original stagecoach run from Canterbury to the West Coast. A
railway line was later built from Greymouth to Otira. Mount Ruapehu is one
of the world's most active volcanoes, located southwest of the southern
shore of Lake Taupo, within Tongariro National Park. The North Island's
major skifields and only glaciers are located on its slopes.
The
sixpence stamp features the Kiwi, the species of flightless birds endemic
to New Zealand. Kiwis are about the size of a domestic chicken and all
species are endangered. The kiwi is a national symbol of New
Zealand.
The eight penny stamp contains a graphic eight with a maori
war canoe on the lower circle of the eight and a crown in the upper circle.
Tree Ferns are drawn to the left of the eight and Cabbage Trees on the
right.
The nine penny stamp features the Pink Terraces, which were
destroyed along with the White Terraces by the explosive eruption of Mount
Tarawera on the 10th of June, 1886.
The one shilling stamp features
the Kea and Kaka. The Kea (on the left) is a species of parrot found in
forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. It is one
of the few alpine parrots in the world. The Kea is uncommon and received
full protection in 1986. Kea are reknown for their intelligence and
curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment and
are often described as "cheeky". The Kaka (on the right) is a
parrot endemic to the forests of New Zealand and its name is the Maori
language word for "parrot". The Kaka is closely related to the
Kea but has darker plumage.
The two shilling stamp features Milford
Sound (Piopiotahi). Milford Sound is the northenmost of a number of fjords
in the south west of New Zealand's South Island within Fiordland
National Park. It is New Zealand's most famous tourist destination and
is named after Milford Haven in Wales. Mitre Peak is shown on the right of
the stamp.
The five shilling stamp shows Mount Cook reflected in
Lake Tekapo. Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. It is part
of the Southern Alps - the mountain range which runs the length of the
South Island.
Bibliography
The Postage Stamps of New Zealand (Volume I)
Edited by R. J. G. Collins and H. T. M. Fathers B.A. B.Sc.
Published 1938 by The Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated
Pages 139 - 173, 570 - 571
The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume II
Edited by R. J. G. Collins FRPSNZ and C. W. Watts FRPSNZ
Published 1950 by The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated
Pages 231 - 232, 306 - 308
The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume IV
Edited by R. J. G. Collins FRPSNZ and C.W. Watts FRPSNZ
Published 1960 by The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated
The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume VI
Edited by D. E. G. Naish FRPSNZ and K. J. McNaught FRPSNZ FRPSL
Publsihed 1975 by The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated
Pages 14 - 15, 351, 354 - 357
The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume VIII
Edited by B. G. Vincent FRPSNZ
Published 1998 by The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated (ISSN 0-9597883-1-X)
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