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Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 1

NEW ZEALAND 1855-1897

Return To Catalogue - New Zealand 1898-1920 - Fiscal stamps - Official stamps, due etc.

Aitutaki - Cook Islands - Niue - Penrhyn - Rarotonga - Victoria Land and King Edward VII land

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contact me if you want to purchase them: .

1855 Queen Victoria, large size, imperforated, rouletted or perforated

Imperforate

  1 p red
  2 p blue
  3 p lilac (1858)
  6 p brown (1858)
  1 Sh green

This and the next issue are commonly known as 'the Chalon heads' (after the designer Chalon).

Perforated (1862)

  1 p red
  1 p brown (1866)
  2 p blue
  2 p red (1866)
  3 p lilac
  4 p red (1864)
  4 p yellow (1866)
  6 p brown
  6 p blue (1866)
  1 Sh green

The first stamps were printed in London in very limited numbers (12000 of the 1 p red, 66000 of the 2 p blue and 8000 stamps of the 1 Sh value) on paper with 'Star watermark'. Later in 1855 stamps were printed in New Zealand by a private printer: Richardson (first on blue paper, then on white paper). The Richardson prints have no watermark. Some rare rouletted experimental perforations are known to exist in this period. In 1862 Davies took over the printing of the stamps, he used the paper with watermark 'Star' again. He changed to paper with watermark 'NZ Star' in 1862. In 1862 he also printed some stamps on unwatermarked paper (provisional issues). A very comprehensive site dealing with these stamps can be found at:http://www.nzstamps.fsnet.co.uk/index.html (highly recommended).

Various watermarks and perforations exist for these stamps.

(Lozenges and lines? watermark, the last watermark is a mystery to me)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Star', imperforate (Specialists distinghuish subtypes on white or bluish paper)
1 p red	RR	RR
2 p blue	RR	RR
3 p	RR	RR	1863
6 p brown	RRR	RR	1863
1 Sh	RRR	RR
No watermark, imperforate (1856)
1 p red	RRR	RRR
2 p blue	RRR	RR
3 p	RRR	?
6 p brown	RRR	RRR
1 Sh	RRR	RRR
No watermark, perforated or rouletted
1 p red	RRR	RRR
1 p brown	RRR	RR
2 p blue	RRR	RRR
2 p red	RR	R
4 p yellow	RR	RRR
6 p brown	RRR	RRR
1 Sh	RRR	RRR
Watermark 'Star', perforated or rouletted
1 p red	RR	R
1 p brown	RR	***
2 p blue	RR	R
2 p red	RR	R
3 p	RR	R
4 p red	RR	RR
4 p yellow	RR	R
6 p brown	RR	***
6 p blue	RR	R
1 Sh	RR	R
Watermark 'NZ', imperforate
1 p red	RR	RR
2 p blue	RRR	RR
6 p brown	RRR	RRR
1 Sh	RRR	RR
Watermark 'NZ', perforated or rouletted
1 p brown	-	RRR	The 1 p brown unused is not known to exist
2 p blue	RR	RR
2 p red	RR	R
4 p yellow	RRR	RR
6 p brown	RR	RR
1 Sh	RRR	RRR
Watermark 'Lozenges'
2 p red	RRR	RRR

Reprints:

I've often seen imperforate blocks of stamps in the colour black. They are sometimes referred to as 'Hausberg' reprints and sometimes they are called 'proofs'. They seem to have been made in 1906. I have no furhter information about them, if anybody has more information, please contact me.. Example of such a reprint:

(2 p black Hausberg reprint)

I've also seen the 4 p and 6 p of these Hausberg reprints, the 1 p, 3 p and 1 Sh should also exist (all in black). I've even seen a whole sheet of 240 stamps of the 2 p black.

Forgeries:

Examples:

(Forgeries of the 1p red, 2 p blue and 1 Sh green stamps)

(A block of four forged 1 p red stamps)

There should be 10 dots on the right shoulder of the queen, and 7 on the left shoulder.

(Jeffreys forgery of the 1 Sh value, reduced size)

('Proof' of the 1 Sh green stamp of Jeffreys)

The above stamps are Jeffreys forgeries. Note the appearance of parts of adjoining stamps.

(I've been told that this is a 1 p Jeffreys forgery, but I'm not quite sure)

1873 Queen Victoria, Newspaper Postage

  1/2 p red

This stamp exist with perforation 12 1/2 or 10 (combinations of both perforations also exist).

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'NZ'
1/2 p	R	***	This watermark was actually a fiscal watermark, partial and missing watermarks exist Perforation 10, 12 1/2 or a combination of both
Watermark 'Star' (1875)
1/2 p	*	*	Perforation 12 1/2 or 12
Watermark 'NZ Star' (1892)
1/2 p	*	c	Perforation 12 1/2

Newspaper wrappers with a similar design also exist (issued in 1878, and later another one in 1892 with the text changed).

1877 Queen Victoria small sizes, inscription 'POSTAGE'

  1 p violet
  2 p red
  3 p brown
  4 p brown
  6 p blue
  1 Sh green
  2 Sh red
  5 Sh grey

The 1 p and 2 p exist on watermark 'Star', all values exist with watermark 'NZ Star'. Example of a watermark 'Star':

These stamps exist printed on bluish paper.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark 'Star'
1 p	RRR	RR
2 p red	RR	R
Watermark 'NZ Star'
1 p	***	*
2 p	***	*
3 p	R	***
4 p	R	***
6 p	***	***
1 Sh	R	***
2 Sh	RR	RR	Often badly centered. Mostly used fiscally
5 Sh	RR	RR	Often badly centered. Mostly used fiscally

I've seen a postcard in the design of the 1 p (but in the colour blue), the inscription reads: 'INLAND AND AUSTRALIAN POST CARD'.

1882 Queen Victoria, small sizes, inscription 'POSTAGE & REVENUE'

  1/2 p black (1891)
  1 p red
  2 p violet
  2 1/2 p blue (1891)
  3 p orange
  4 p blue
  5 p grey (1891)
  6 p brown
  8 p blue
  1 Sh red

These stamps have watermark 'NZ Star' and exist with various perforations

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1/2 p	*	c	Exists with two different watermarks
1 p	*	c
2 p	*	c	Exists with two different watermarks
2 1/2 p	**	*
3 p	***	*
4 p	***	*
5 p	***	**
6 p	***	*
8 p	***	***
1 Sh	***	*

Some stamps had advertisements on the back, examples:

I have seen:
'S.MYERS & CO DENTISTS CHRISTCHURCH'
'USE Kaitangata COAL CHEAPEST & CLEANEST'
'USE ONLY PONEKE TABLE JELLY'
'BRIGHTNESS SUNLIGHT SOAP EVERYWHERE'
'MAKE HOME HAPPY SUNLIGHT SOAP'
'SUNLIGHT SOAP FOR Washing Dogs and Prize Poultry'
'LADIES USE SUNLIGHT SOAP FOR WASHING HAIR'
'A SLIGHT COLD USE AT ONCE BONNINGTONS IRISH MOSS'
'TRUEBRIDGE MILLER & REICH WELLINGTON CONTRACTORS FOR ADVERTISING ON STAMPS & TELEGRAMS'
'ADK FOR PATENT ODOURLESS WATERPROOFS'
'FOR Household Drapery, Go or send to W.Strange & Co.'

For stamps of New Zealand from 1898 to 1920 click here.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer

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