October 2018 | Issue 66
Armistice 1918-2018 2018 Royal Wedding Māui and the Fish – Te Ika-a-Māui Predator Free 2050
Contents 2018 Royal Wedding......................................................................... 3 Armistice 1918-2018....................................................................4-5 2018 Round Kiwi.............................................................................. 6 Māui and the Fish - Te Ika-a-Māui.............................................. 7 Predator Free 2050........................................................................... 8 Upcoming stamp issues................................................................ 9 Rate changes.................................................................................... 9 Non-cancelling of stamps............................................................... 9 Recent stamp issues.............................................................. 10-11 Recent coin issues........................................................................ 12 Staff profile...................................................................................... 13 Niue and Tokelau stamps..................................................... 14-15 Philatelic calendar........................................................................ 16 Personalised postage packs...................................................... 16 NZ 2020 FIAP International Stamp Exhibtion....................... 16 Puzzle time...................................................................................... 17 International stamps.............................................................. 18-19
Cover illustration: Armistice 1918-2018
Focus is produced by New Zealand Post's Stamps and Coins team and brings you news and background information on stamps, coins and other products. To subscribe to Focus and join the New Zealand Post mailing list, please tick the appropriate box when you complete the order form in this issue, or contact the Collectables and Solutions Centre: FreePost No.1 New Zealand Post Collectables and Solutions Centre Private Bag 3001 Whanganui 4541 New Zealand Ph: +64 6 349 1234
Kia ora, welcome! In this issue of Focus we explore recent stamp and coin issues that not only commemorate the past and celebrate the present– for the first time, we imagine the future. Our featured issue commemorates 100 years since the signing of the Armistice – a ceasefire that effectively ended the First World War. This milestone comes at the end of five years of events commemorating the First World War, and is a sobering epilogue to our corresponding stamp and coin programme. Alongside a circulating 50 cent coin issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Armistice 1918-2018 reflects the honour of, and sacrifice made by, our citizens 100 years ago. This issue recognises that those who served and the families they left behind made grim sacrifices which contributed to the world we know today. This year has also been one for celebration. In May, the most watched wedding of the year took place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, as the popular Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle. Along with those created on behalf of Niue and Tokelau, New Zealand's stamps were the first to be released depicting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s happy day.
Predator Free 2050 explores the ambitious goal to remove key mammalian predators from the New Zealand landscape. With the eradication of major predators, it is hoped that much of our highly endangered native fauna will be brought back from the brink of extinction. Hear more about this work from Predator Free New Zealand Trust’s Jessi Morgan on page 8. We’re definitely all a-twitter about birds in New Zealand, and the iconic, flightless kiwi is no exception. Our popular Round Kiwi stamp made its eighth reappearance this year – we look back at 30 years of this steadfast circular stamp. As well as kiwi birds, this year we've also explored Kiwi ingenuity, the legend of Māui and the Fish, New Zealand’s status as world-first in women’s voting rights, and spectacular aspects of Niue and Tokelau. Read on to see all our latest stamp and coin issues, and a bit of what’s coming up in the new year. We hope you enjoy this edition of Focus.
You can find out more about our stamps, coins and other products and order online at: nzpost.co.nz/stamps nzcoins.co.nz nzpost.co.nz/personalisedstamps From here you can also subscribe to our email updates on the latest stamp, coin and other products on offer from New Zealand Post. You can also view a list of all philatelic clubs and societies and their contact details. This issue of Focus has been printed on Neo Satin from B&F Papers. B&F Papers is committed to being an environmentally responsible company with Forest Stewardship Council® and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification certifications.
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Simon Allison Head of Stamps and Coins
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The finished products may differ from those illustrated in this newsletter.
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Focus may not illustrate all stamp, coin and collectable products that are featured in this issue or that appear in the order form.
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Artwork and articles from Focus may not be extracted for reprinting without prior permission from New Zealand Post's Stamps and Collectables Business. For more information and to request permission, please contact the Design Co-ordinator, Stamps and Collectables Business, Private Bag 39990, Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045. nzpost.co.nz/stamps
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 19 May 2018. New Zealand Post was first in the world to issue stamps showing images from the wedding.
These enchanting stamps were available to order by 10am NZST – possibly while the champagne was still flowing at the evening wedding reception. The Stamps and Coins team worked through the early hours to deliver a set of stamps that showed the happy couple on their wedding day. Artist Dave Burke selected images from the wedding as they were released, and designed the resulting commemorative stamp sheet.
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
2018 Royal Wedding
As part of the Commonwealth of Nations, New Zealand has a proud relationship with the United Kingdom and its royal family, and a royal occasion such as this is worth celebrating. These stamps are the perfect memento of this special day, and make wonderful collectables.
It was also a special day for Stamps and Coins team designer Saint Andrew Matautia, who heroically arrived in the early hours to create Royal Wedding stamps for Niue and Tokelau, before heading off to be with his partner for the arrival of their newborn. Later in the morning, TVNZ arrived to film a piece on the team’s efforts, which featured on One News that evening. Featuring four stunning images from the wedding and two images celebrating the couple’s engagement, this stamp sheet is a splendid reminder of this special day. Born on 15 September 1984, Prince Henry Charles Albert David is much admired around the world. As an unlikely successor to the throne, he has been freer to socialise, to date and to be more adventurous than his older brother. However, his wedding marks a shift in focus away from youthful adventures towards a future family. 3
Armistice 1918-2018 On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the guns fell silent along the Western Front and the First World War effectively ended. Six hours earlier a German delegation had accepted harsh ceasefire terms after three days of talks in a railway carriage parked at a siding north of Paris. The fallen of the First World War are remembered on 11 November in many countries around the world. In New Zealand and Australia, Armistice Day has always been overshadowed by Anzac Day (25 April), which was first observed in 1916 and has been a full public holiday in New Zealand since 1921. Armistice Day was nevertheless observed in New Zealand. Until the 1950s, trains would come to a halt and vehicles would pull over to the kerb just before 11am on 11 November. Drivers and passengers observed two minutes’ silence.
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Navy During the First World War, the Royal Navy cruisers stationed in New Zealand waters in peacetime were sent to the Mediterranean. The battlecruiser HMS New Zealand, part of the British main fleet, had been paid for by New Zealand taxpayers but was largely manned by British sailors. A New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy established in 1921 was succeeded by the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1941. In 2018 its 2,500 personnel and 10 ships patrol New Zealand’s huge Exclusive Economic Zone and provide emergency relief at home and overseas.
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
New Zealand Post is proud to have worked with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) to issue New Zealand’s second ever coloured commemorative circulating coin. This year’s 50 cent Armistice circulating coin follows the Spirit of Anzac 50 cent circulating coin, issued in 2015. RBNZ has minted two million coins, the majority of which were released into circulation via retailers nationwide on 1 October. In conjunction with this coin, New Zealand Post has created a stamp and coin programme to honour those who served then, and the men and women who serve today.
Army The vast majority of the 100,000 New Zealanders who served overseas during the First World War were in the infantry, artillery and supporting units of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force formed in 1914. By 1918 most were serving in the New Zealand Division on the Western Front. A New Zealand Army with Regular and Territorial Force components was formally established in 1950. In 2018 its 4,500 regulars and 1,600 reservists make up more than half the strength of the New Zealand Defence Force.
Air Force
New Zealand’s main contribution to the First World War in the air was the privately organised training of hundreds of pilots for service in British squadrons. A New Zealand Permanent Air Force was established within the New Zealand Military Forces in 1923, and a separate Royal New Zealand Air Force was set up in 1937. In 2018 its 2,500 regulars and several hundred reservists mainly perform surveillance and emergency relief roles, flying NH90 and Super Seasprite helicopters and long-distance Orion and cargo-carrying Hercules aircraft.
Medical services More than half of New Zealand’s 700 registered doctors (almost all of whom were men) served in the Medical Corps during the First World War, as did 550 nurses of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service. Advances in treatment by 1918 had significantly improved injured men’s chances of survival. Battlefield medicine has continued to evolve, aided since the Korean War by swift evacuation by helicopter. The First World War also saw the first recognition of wartime psychological injury. Then dubbed ‘shellshock’, it was more recently termed post-traumatic stress disorder.
Poppy Red poppies first evoked wartime loss following the publication of ‘In Flanders Fields’, a poem written by Canadian doctor John McCrae for a dead friend. After poppies were adopted as official symbols of remembrance in the United States and France, the practice spread across the British Empire. In 1921 the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association ordered 250,000 artificial poppies from the French Children’s League. The late arrival of the shipment forced the RSA to postpone the first Poppy Day Appeal from Armistice Day 1921 to Anzac Day 1922.
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2018 Round Kiwi Celebrating 30 years of Round Kiwi stamps
New Zealand Post's popular Round Kiwi stamp was refreshed for the eighth time in July 2018, celebrating 30 years since its first issue. It features all five species of kiwi in their habitat – the brown kiwi, great spotted kiwi, little spotted kiwi, tokoeka and rowi – and in a range of vibrant colours. 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, their 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.
In 2011 the Round Kiwi stamp returned in three denominations that reflected New Zealand’s postage rates. The $1.20 stamp was printed in black – widely regarded as New Zealand’s national colour and worn by several of our sports teams. The $1.90 stamp was printed in silver – reflecting New Zealand’s iconic silver fern (Cyathea dealbata), and the $2.40 stamp was printed in classic blue – synonymous with the vast amount of water surrounding our small island nation. As well as other subtle design changes, the 2011 Round Kiwi stamps featured the New Zealand Post identifier – the fern.
Issued in 1988, the original Round Kiwi was New Zealand’s first ever round postage stamp. The Māori motif around the border represents the kōwhai tree flower – symbolising the continuous cycle of life.
This stamp was initially produced in a green colour, in booklets of six stamps. Later printings in sheet format included the red kiwi issued 17 April 1991, the blue kiwi issued 9 June 1993, the purple kiwi issued 18 June 1997, and a purple overprinted selvedge issued 31 December 1999. In the year 2000 the stamp was re-issued in gold to celebrate the start of the new millennium. This issue’s change in denomination from $1.00 to $1.10 reflected the new international postage rate for sending postcards or aerogrammes from New Zealand to anywhere in the world, or medium-sized letters via International Air to Australia and the South Pacific.
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The legend of Māui spans Polynesia, and various accounts of the demigod's heroic deeds exist across Pacific nations. Te Ika-a-Māui is the thrilling tale of how the mischievous and curious Māui fished up the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. This follows on from the 2017 coin issue Māui and the Sun.
Māui and the Fish, or Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of many tales of Māui chronicled for centuries across Pacific cultures. Despite the considerable distance between islands such as Hawaii, Tonga and even New Zealand, the similarity between many of the legends is uncanny. Many versions of this story exist as it has been passed from generation to generation. The story is told here by Louis Armstrong, Cultural Education Lead for the iwi of Raukawa in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa. Excitement, curiosity and a mischievous nature pushed Māui into action. He could not shake the urge to stow away quietly on board his older brothers’ waka as they prepared for a fishing trip. Despite the fine weather, his intuition told him that a storm was looming and somehow it would bring him greatness. In preparation for the fishing voyage, lashings were tightened, fishing nets and lines were checked, hooks were sharpened and the hull was checked for seaworthiness. The sea was like glass, the weather was calm and the winds looked favourable for a quick journey to the brothers’ favourite fishing grounds.
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
Mäui and the Fish Te Ika-a-Mäui
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Māui lay hidden under a pile of clothing at the rear of the waka. He dared not move, fearing that his brothers might throw him overboard. He gripped tightly his late grandmother’s heirloom jawbone as comfort in his frightening predicament. On reaching the fabled fishing grounds, he would emerge from his hiding place. Māui stood at the bow of the waka, his entire body straining with the effort to haul in his prize. The enormous fish thrashed violently back and forth, its immense tail triggering tsunami-sized waves. Māui looked skyward, calling for divine intervention to give him the strength needed to overcome this mighty fish. On breaking the sea surface, the fish hardened into a huge land mass. Māui lay on the waka after the fierce battle with the fish. Māui’s brothers jumped from the waka, retrieved the jawbone and used it ruthlessly to carve up the land. These actions would set the future landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand. Te ika a Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga and the waka are reminders of the heroic deeds of Māui that formed both the North and South Islands of Aotearoa New Zealand, thus creating a unique paradise called home by many. Countless heroic deeds would follow the name of the legendary Māui through all time.
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Predator Free 2050 Predator Free 2050 imagines what New Zealand could look like if key mammalian predators are eradicated, allowing our native fauna to flourish. We asked Jessi Morgan from Predator Free New Zealand Trust (PFNZ) about how all New Zealanders can help to save our unique wildlife.
What are the origins of Predator Free New Zealand Trust? The Trust is an independent charitable trust formed in 2013 by several business people and philanthropists who had sensed a growing support to work towards a predator free New Zealand. They were inspired by the late Paul Callaghan’s vision to take on the challenge. The Trust’s purpose is to locate the myriad of people engaged in the predator free vision – including agencies, community groups, iwi, farmers and land-owners – connect, support and enable them to be as effective as possible by sharing information, promoting best practice and encouraging collaboration. The Trust aims to win the hearts and minds of all New Zealanders to make predator control part of their daily lives. How is PFNZ working towards Predator Free 2050? Many of the species we have in New Zealand are only found here and have evolved without the presence of mammalian predators. Most of our native species are in serious trouble, with up to 80 per cent of our native birds in some degree of endangerment. All is not well with our native species and we want people to realise that everyone has a role to play. This isn’t just a problem the government can solve on its own. We try to encourage people to get involved in working towards a predator free New Zealand. This can be anything from trapping in your backyard, to clearing traps on a local reserve, doing accounts for a local community group or building wooden boxes for the traps to go inside. We’re trying to make it easy for people to get involved, so where we see a barrier we try and remove it. For example, it was really difficult for people to source suitable traps, so we now have a range on our website that people can purchase and have delivered to their door. We help connect people to groups in their area so they can get involved. And we collate best practice information and gettingstarted guides to help people along the way. We’ve got a great partnership with Kiwibank that provides funding and support to communities wanting to make their own backyards predator free and help native wildlife thrive. We also work with schools to run predator free programmes. How can communities get involved in helping New Zealand to be free of key predators by 2050? It's actually really easy for communities to get involved. Normally it starts with a couple of people trapping in their backyards and then they tell their friends and neighbours and others start to get involved too; from there it just grows. 8
Pretty soon you start to get a bit of a trap network going and can really reduce the number of predators over an area. It is easy to set and check a trap in your backyard, and most people are happy to do it. Communities often rally together to get materials and other sponsorship to make it happen. It has been great to see the increased connectedness of communities and other benefits they get from working together towards a common goal. The Predator Free movement is really sweeping across the country and there are hundreds of communities all over New Zealand helping native species thrive by removing mammalian predators. There is a role for everyone in this movement and I’ve been pleasantly impressed by people’s willingness to do their bit. There is definitely an increasing awareness of the current biodiversity crisis. People want to protect our unique and iconic species, and are happy to help out however they can. What's the biggest success story so far? Wellington is definitely leading the country in terms of communities involved in backyard trapping. The presence of Zealandia has really helped encourage people to make their backyards safe havens for native birds as they spill out of the fence. However, Wellington is not alone, and we're now seeing a huge number of communities taking on the Predator Free challenge all over the country, which is really encouraging. For example, Russell in the Far North have implemented a backyard trapping programme that supports the work that the community group is doing to help protect and support kiwi in the area. There also appears to be a significant groundswell among farmers and owners of large areas of land wanting to do their bit. We'll need everyone’s input to achieve the ambitious goal of a predator free New Zealand, and the willingness of people to get involved and do their bit has definitely impressed me. Finally, is there a particular species close to your heart that you'd especially like to see thriving in the coming decades? This is a really hard question as there are so many interesting and unique species to choose from. I’m a huge fan of our small native bats, the only land mammals native to New Zealand. Our weta species are also really impressive. But I'm also very fond of our cheeky toutouwai (robins) with tiny twiggy legs and a round body, and the beautiful kererū and mischievous kea have also been favourites of mine for a long time. So it’s hard to name one. Hopefully with increased predator control we’ll see an increase in the abundance and the diversity of species across the country. nzpost.co.nz/stamps
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
Upcoming stamp issues Christmas 2018 The Christmas 2018 stamps go back to the roots of this annual celebration – the Nativity scene. A national public holiday in New Zealand since the early 20th century, New Zealanders celebrate Christmas in a Southern Hemisphere summer. Christmas Day and Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) are public holidays, as well as New Year’s Day and the following day. These beautifully illustrated stamps feature key figures from the Nativity story – Mary, baby Jesus, Joseph, three wise men, a humble shepherd and a Christmas angel. They come gummed or self-adhesive.
2019 Year of the Pig Each year New Zealand Post creates a stamp series celebrating the Chinese zodiac. Chinese New Year 2019 will be celebrated on 5 February, with the pig, the 12th animal in the Chinese zodiac. Pigs are said to bring good fortune. People born in the Year of the Pig should be good-natured, charming, hardworking and optimistic. And 2019 should be a lucky year. Recent years of the pig were 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995 and 2007.
Rate changes While New Zealand Post has worked hard to keep postage rates as low as possible, an annual decline in mail volumes has resulted in a review of the costs of our products and services. From 1 July 2018 the cost of sending a medium letter increased from $1.00 to $1.20, a large letter from $2.00 to $2.40 and an oversize letter from $3.00 to $3.60. To reflect these changes, our Personalised Stamps range has been reissued, as well as a new set of Scenic Definitives.
The 2018 Scenic Definitives range includes the ever-popular holiday destination Mount Maunganui and Lake Te Anau, nestled in the beautiful Fiordland National Park in the South Island, and we're delighted to re-issue Taranaki's coastal treasure, Tongaporutu.
Personalised Stamps allow you to give your mail that special touch by featuring your favourite photo or image alongside one of the gorgeous stamp designs. These stamps are also available as a sheetlet of 10 stamps and a first day cover.
Non-cancelling of stamps
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Where the reuse of stamps or postage included envelopes is detected, items will be treated as unpaid. They'll either be returned to the sender, or forwarded to our Returned Letters Office to be processed in accordance with the Postal Services Act 1998.
Stamp collectors who would like their stamps to be cancelled can access this service via our special cancellation service at select mail centres. M
You may have noticed that your letters are no longer being cancelled by machine. This change has been implemented in part due to the decline in letter volumes, and in response to an assessment of the cost involved.
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Recent stamp issues Māui and the Fish – Te Ika-aMāui Māui and the Fish is one of many tales of the mischievous demigod chronicled for centuries across Pacific cultures. Despite the considerable distance between islands such as Hawaii, Tonga and even New Zealand, the similarity between many of the legends is uncanny. Te Ika-a-Māui is the thrilling tale of how the mischievous and curious Māui fished up the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Date of issue: 6 June 2018 Designer: David Hakaraia, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 5 June 2019
2018 Round Kiwi New Zealand Post's popular Round Kiwi stamp has been refreshed for the eighth time, celebrating 30 years since it was first launched in 1988. This issue features all five species of kiwi in their habitat – brown kiwi, great spotted kiwi, little spotted kiwi, tokoeka and rowi – and in a range of vibrant colours. Native to New Zealand, the kiwi has called Aotearoa home for millions of years. New Zealanders are immensely proud of this special bird – so much so that we commonly refer to ourselves as ‘Kiwis’. The kiwi’s hair-like feathers, plump body and long, curved beak make it truly distinctive. Date of issue: 4 July 2018 Designer: Dave Burke, Auckland, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 3 July 2019
2018 Royal Wedding Millions around the world watched and celebrated as His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales and Ms Meghan Markle wed on 19 May 2018 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. New Zealand Post was honoured to mark this special occasion with celebratory stamps. The 2018 Royal Wedding mint stamp sheet features six stamps depicting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: two from the official engagement shoot, and four specially selected images of the happy couple on their wedding day. Date of issue: 21 May 2018 Designer: Dave Burke, Auckland, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 20 May 2019
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Predator Free 2050 is the ambitious goal to remove key mammalian predators from the New Zealand landscape. This effort involves central and local government, iwi, conservation trusts and philanthropists. Predator Free New Zealand Trust (PFNZ) is one of those organisations, working with community groups, schools, marae, neighbourhoods and businesses to ensure our precious native species can flourish for generations to come.
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
Predator Free 2050
Date of issue: 1 August 2018 Designer: Stephen Fuller, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 31 July 2019
Thinking Outside the Square Home to some of the most resourceful minds, New Zealand is a nation full of thinkers and makers who love to push the envelope. For starters, there’s the jetboat, electric fence, and bungy jumping. We’re well known for our ‘number 8 wire’ mentality, given we’ve used the fencing wire to repair just about everything imaginable. This stamp issue celebrates some of these nifty ideas that are truly ‘outside the square’. Date of issue: 5 September 2018 Designer: EightyOne, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 4 September 2019
Suffrage 125 Years – Whakatū Wāhine In the last decades of the 19th Century, New Zealand women vigorously campaigned to achieve the right to vote. In September 1893 they finally won that right for all women over the age of 21. In most other democracies – including Britain and the United States – women did not gain the right to vote until after the First World War. New Zealand women voted for the first time in a general election in November 1893. Date of issue: 5 September 2018 Designer: Helcia Berryman, Raumati South, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 4 September 2019
Armistice 1918-2018 On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the guns fell silent along the Western Front. The First World War had effectively ended. These stamps were designed by New Zealand Artist Dave Burke. Four of the stamps depict past and present members of New Zealand's armed forces, and a fifth stamp features the RNZRSA poppy. Date of issue: 1 October 2018 Designer: Dave Burke, Auckland, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 30 September 2019 11
Recent coin issues 2018 Royal Wedding Millions around the world watched and celebrated as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wed on 19 May 2018 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. New Zealand Post was honoured to mark this special occasion with a stunning silver proof coin.
Date of issue: May 2018 Designer: Dave Burke, Auckland, New Zealand Mint: Mint of Norway Worldwide mintage: 1,500
2018 Royal Baby This stunning 1oz silver proof coin commemorates the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third born child, Prince Louis of Cambridge, celebrating New Zealand’s close relationship with the British monarchy.
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Date of issue: May 2018 Designer: Dave Burke, Auckland, New Zealand Mint: Mint of Norway Worldwide mintage: 606
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Māui and the Fish – Te Ika-a-Māui The legend of Māui spans Polynesia, and various accounts of the demigod's heroic deeds exist across Pacific nations. Te Ika-a-Māui is the thrilling tale of how the mischievous and curious Māui fished up the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Date of issue: June 2018 Designer: David Hakaraia, Wellington, New Zealand Mint: BH Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt Gmb Worldwide mintage: 150
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2018 Proof Currency Set This set of proof currency coins features special proof versions of New Zealand’s iconic currency. Following on from 2017’s Māui and the Sun – Tama Nui-te-Rā coin issue, this currency set includes two stunning silver proof coins depicting the legend of Māui and the Fish – Te Ika-a-Māui.
2019 Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless, nocturnal birds endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. Five species of this precious bird exist, and all are classified as threatened or at risk. The 2019 Kiwi Coin continues to celebrate the kiwi as a national icon and distinctive representative of New Zealand’s unique wildlife. The North Island brown kiwi is the star of this year's issue.
Date of issue: June 2018 Designer: David Hakaraia, Wellington, New Zealand Mint: BH Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt Gmb Worldwide mintage: 1,000
Date of issue: September 2018 Designer: Dave Burke, Auckland, New Zealand Mint: BH Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt GmbH Worldwide mintage: 1/4oz gold proof coin: 500 1/2oz silver proof coin: 2,500 1oz silver specimen coin: 7,500 1/2oz silver specimen 5-coin set: 500 – SOLD OUT
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Focus issue 66 - October 2018
WIN A COIN
We have a 2018 Royal Wedding coin to give away to one lucky customer. Simply order any product from the Focus order form to be in to win. Customers who purchased this coin via standing order will automatically be entered into the draw.
Staff profile Visual Communications Specialist Hannah Fortune joined the Stamps and Coins team in April 2018.
You recently graduated from Massey University – what did you enjoy most about your degree?
I loved being around so many creative people to bounce ideas off and having the freedom to expand the limits of what was possible. I love that I can do that here at Post too!
What does a typical day look like for you at NZ Post?
What’s surprised you most about working at NZ Post?
Every day is different, I really enjoy the varity. It could be anything from sketching concepts for new stamp and coin issues, to researching our current issue topics, designing print and web ads, liaising with the Production Team about innovation for new products or meeting with amazing people in the field of our upcoming issues.
When we design coins, we send our concepts to Buckingham Palace for approval – the Queen looks at my art!
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Being able to create – I have a lot of freedom when it comes to imagining what our next stamps and coins might look like. Encapsulating a piece of New Zealand’s history or culture in design and then sending it out to educate and bring joy to people all over the world is an amazing job.
If you could do another job for a day, what would it be?
I’d love to experience the job of a creative director in a global company. The impact of the decisions they make can be used to bring a lot of good change to people. Although when I was little I wanted to be an orthodontist. What’s an interesting fact about you?
For my 10th birthday I asked for a pear tree. It’s still my favourite gift I’ve ever received.
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Niue and Tokelau stamps Check out some of the latest stamp issues from New Zealand's Pacific neighbours Tokelau and Niue. Niue 2018 Royal Wedding New Zealand Post has created this special commemorative stamp issue to celebrate the wedding of Prince Henry Charles Albert David, grandson of Niue’s Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Harry, as he is better known, married Ms Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018. Niue was originally settled by Polynesian sailors from nearby islands such as Tonga and Samoa. Niue first became part of the British monarchy in 1900 when it was adopted as a British protectorate and was handed into the care of New Zealand in 1901. Niue has been self-governing since 1974. Date of issue: 21 May 2018 Designer: Saint Andrew Matautia, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Collectables and Solutions Centre, New Zealand Post, Whanganui, New Zealand Withdrawal date: 20 May 2019
The Island of Niue A raised coral atoll affectionately known as the 'Rock', the island of Niue is a unique treasure of the Pacific. Visitors and locals alike delight in its crystal-clear waters, tropical weather and incredible natural structures. The Island of Niue maps out some of the notable features of this small but special island. Date of issue: 5 September 2018 Designer: Hannah Fortune, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Collectables and Solutions Centre, New Zealand Post, Whanganui, New Zealand Withdrawal date: 4 September 2019
Tokelau 2018 Royal Wedding This issue features four specially selected images of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – two celebrating their engagement, and two from their wedding day. The graphic background and borders on the first day covers are based on the frangipani and the Pacific fine mat. Frangipani are found throughout the Pacific and the fine mat is used for multiple purposes, including traditional ceremonies. The finer the mat, the more valuable it is. Date of issue: 21 May 2018 Designer: Saint Andrew Matautia, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Collectables and Solutions Centre, New Zealand Post, Whanganui, New Zealand Withdrawal date: 20 May 2019
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Focus issue 66 - October 2018
Seawalls of Tokelau The latest issue from Tokelau offers a glimpse into one of the realities of life on these low-lying coral atolls. This unique island nation is at the frontlines of climate change, facing drought, tsunamis, cyclones and rising sea levels. Seawalls, erected to prevent erosion and in defence of shoreline dwellings, are built by locals using a variety of methods. Date of issue: 2 May 2018 Designer: Saint Andrew Matautia, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Collectables and Solutions Centre, New Zealand Post, Whanganui, New Zealand Withdrawal date: 1 May 2019
Tokelau from the Sky Sitting barely five metres above sea level, these three low-lying coral atolls, Nukunonu, Atafu and Fakaofo, form the tops of extinct volcanic peaks. Here we see Tokelau from 200-400 metres above – a rarely seen view of the tropical island country and its surroundings. Date of issue: 5 September 2018 Designer: Saint Andrew Matautia, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Collectables and Solutions Centre, New Zealand Post, Whanganui, New Zealand Withdrawal date: 5 September 2019
Tokelau - a flying visit By Saint Andrew Matautia In 2017 I was asked by one of the Pacific curators at Te Papa to contribute to a photographic project on Tokelau, looking at how the country’s residents are living and dealing with climate change first hand. The journey to Tokelau is not a simple one – it involves a plane trip to Samoa, followed by a 24-hour journey by boat. We only had a few days and allocated hours to take photos and camera footage of the islands, and interview local people. Even though we had limited time, I was able to get some compelling images, both from the ground and from the air, with my drone. The thing that struck me most was the efforts I saw to limit waste and to live sustainably. One project we were shown involved turning pig waste into bio-fuel. There were also a few houses built on top of water tanks that can collect thousands
of litres of rain water. There are also many seawalls, built in anticipation of rising sea levels. Some initiatives we saw weren’t so successful, such as the replacement of concrete water tanks, which keep water cool, with plastic ones that deteriorate in the sun. They also replaced canoes with motor boats, which aren’t as sustainable and have removed the daily exercise provided on fishing trips. After the fishermen return, they gather all their catch and divide it equally between everyone – a tradition that still exists despite the use of New Zealand currency. Most people in Tokelau speak English, Tokelauan and Samoan, so I enjoyed chatting to a few people in Samoan. Visiting Tokelau was a unique cultural experience I’ll remember forever. I would go back in a heartbeat.
Saint Andrew is a Visual Communications Specialist at New Zealand Post.
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Philatelic calendar Here's a look at what's coming up in the philatelic community. OCTOBER 6
Christchurch Stamp & Postcard Fair 9am to 12 noon, Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch Annual Competitive Exhibition 10am to 4pm, St George’s Church Hall, Takapuna, Auckland
NOVEMBER 7
Lower Hutt Stamp Fair 10am to 3pm, James Coe One, Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt
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Christchurch Stamp & Postcard Fair 9am to 12 noon, Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch
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Christchurch Stamp & Postcard Fair 9am to 12 noon, Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch
DECEMBER 9-11
The Armistice Stamp Show 2018 More FM Arena, Edgar Centre, Portsmouth Drive, Dunedin
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Christchurch Stamp & Postcard Fair 9am to 12 noon, Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch Orewa – Visini & Lamb ‘At Home’ 10am to 4pm, 399 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa, Auckland, New Zealand
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Christchurch Stamp & Postcard Fair 9am to 12 noon, Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch Browns Bay Stamp Fair 9:30am to 3:30pm, 9 Inverness Road, Browns Bay, Auckland Paraparaumu Stamp Fair 10am to 2pm 15 Ngahina Street, Paraparaumu
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Lower Hutt Stamp Fair 10am to 3pm, James Coe One, Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt
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Christchurch Stamp & Postcard Fair 9am to 12 noon, Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch This schedule was correct at the time of printing and is subject to change. For further information, contact the New Zealand Philatelic Federation.
Personalised Postage Packs New Zealand Post is pleased to let you know that the 2017 Personalised Postage Packs and 2017 Year of Issue cover set are now available to order. These collectable products are your only way to obtain all the personalised postage labels issued in 2017. Visit nzpost.co.nz/shop or order yours today via the Focus magazine.
NZ2020 FIAP International Stamp Exhibtion In 2020 New Zealand’s City of Sails will be host to the NZ2020 FIAP International Stamp Exhibition, being held at the Ellerslie Event Centre in Auckland from 19-22 March. Held under the patronage of FIAP, exhibitors from member countries will have 1,200 frames available in all FIAP classes including Picture Postcards. A wide range of dealers and postal agencies will be present on the ground floor, including NZ Post. For more information contact the NZ2020 Organising Committee via secretary@nz2020.nz
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nzpost.co.nz/stamps
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
Puzzle time
Across:
Down:
2. Which number in the cycle of the Chinese Zodiac is the pig? (7)
1. Name a sustainable use that Tokelauans have found for pig waste. (3, 4)
3. Which chapel did the recent Royal Wedding take place in? (2, 7)
2. How many coloured commemorative circulating coins has New Zealand produced? (3)
5. What is the MÄ ori name for a New Zealand robin? (9)
4. In 2018 the NZRAF uses NH90 and Super _____ helicopters. (9)
7. What colour was the 1993 Round Kiwi? (4) 9. What is Niue's conservation area called? (6) 11. In which month of 1893 did New Zealand women vote for the first time in a general election? (8) 12. MÄ ui fought the fish with his grandmother's ______ ______. (8, 7)
ANSWERS: See page 19
6. Which town in the Far North is significantly helping to make New Zealand predator free? (7) 8. What are the seawalls of Tokelau erected to prevent? (7) 10. What is the name of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third-born? (5)
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International stamps Hong Kong Hong Kong Children Stamps – Fun with Numbers and Symbols Date of issue:17 July 2018
Set of 16 gummed stamps $7.80
The 150th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department Date of issue: 8 May 2018
First day cover with sixteen gummed stamps affixed. $8.70
Stamp sheetlet with one gummed stamp $2.40 Set of six gummed stamps $5.20
First day cover with souvenir sheet affixed $4.00 First day cover with gummed miniature sheet affixed. $8.70
Gummed miniature sheet $7.80
First day cover with stamp sheetlet affixed $3.30
First day cover with six gummed stamps affixed $6.10
Hong Kong by Night II Date of issue: 22 March 2018
Hong Kong Inclusive Communication Date of issue: 7 June 2018
Set of six gummed stamps $5.20
Stamp sheetlet with one gummed stamp $4.80
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First day cover with gummed miniature sheet affixed 4.40
Mint gummed souvenir sheet $4.80
Set of six gummed stamps $3.60
First day cover with six gummed stamps affixed $6.10
Gummed miniature sheet $3.60
First day cover with four gummed stamps affixed $4.40
nzpost.co.nz/stamps
Pitcairn Jewels of the Bounty
Pitcairn Colours of Paradise
Date of issue: 27 February 2018
Date of issue: 18 July 2018
Focus issue 66 - October 2018
Pitcairn Islands
First day cover with six gummed stamps affixed $13.70
Gummed miniature sheet $11.70
Pitcairn Royal Wedding
Set of four gummed stamps $10.30
Date of issue: 30 May 2018
Set of four gummed stamps $10.40
First day cover with four gummed stamps affixed $12.20
Pitcairn William Bligh 200 Years Commemoration First day cover with two gummed stamps affixed $12.40
Date of issue: 30 May 2018
Pitcairn’s Constitutional Beginnings Date of issue: 5 April 2018
Set of two gummed stamps $7.80
Set of four gummed stamps $11.60
PUZZLE TIME ANSWERS First day cover with two gummed stamps affixed $9.80
Down: 1. Bio-fuel, 2. Two, 4. Seasprite, 6. Russell, 8. Erosion, 10. Louis Across: 2. Twelfth, 3. St George's, 5. Toutouwai, 7. Blue, 9. Huvalu, 11. November, 12. Heirloom jawbone.
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nzpost.co.nz/predatorfree
