My Collection & Obssession Part 2 : NZ Post 1st Day Covers

For a country as small as New Zealand, they sure have a lot of talent as the country has produced musical stars and world famous sports people.  I wish we could produce stamps as outstanding as theirs. NZ also has plenty of stamps relating to flora and fauna but theirs is a lot more artistic than ours ever could be. I started collecting NZ Post 1st day covers just before the commencement of the 21st century so it has been about 15 years since I received my 1st NZ Post 1st day cover and I have never regretted subscribing all these years as their stamps just get better and better. They have brought much joy and colour to my life, much more than any makeup palette ever could have. Next to Royal Mail, NZ Post has produced some of the best stamps in the world. It’s amazing how much you can learn about a country just from studying their stamps.

These are just a few ‘gems’ from my NZ Post 1st day cover collection.

The Hobbit

Of course Middle Earth would have produced The Hobbit stamps. Although I have watched 2 of them, I am not a fan of LOTR movies but I can appreciate the special effects and I just love this set of The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey stamps. For those unfamiliar with the story (although I am sure most of you are familiar), it’s about the journey of Bilbo Baggins, who is unexpectedly swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a Company of 13 Dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield.

Native Wildlife

Many of the animals in NZ are found nowhere else in the world. NZ has no native mammals apart from bats and marine mammals but they do have lots of unique native fish, insects, lizards, frogs and birds. Featured in this series of round stamps are the last remaining member of the ancient group of reptiles – the tuatara; a flightless bird with nostrils at the end of its beak – the kiwi; one of the rarest frogs in the world – Hamilton’s frog; the world’s rarest penguin – the yellow eyed penguin and the world’s smallest and rarest marine dolphin – Hector’s dolphin.

Queen Elizabeth II 60th Anniversary Of The Coronation

This special stamp issue portrays six main portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that have appeared on NZ’s legal tender coins since her Coronation in 1953.

Tiki Tour Of New Zealand

What sets NZ Post way apart from other countries’ philately services is that NZ Post often sends its subscribers complimentary posters based on some stamp issues and I have framed a few of them already, including the Tiki Tour of NZ poster which is so gorgeous and whimsical. Can you spot the stamp of the cow riding a surf board? The stamps feature locations from north to south NZ.

Counting In Kiwi

These stamps showcase how intelligent and creative the stamp designers at NZ Post are as we count from 1 to 21 with these clever and quirky stamps e.g.:-

1 = State Highway 1, the road that links NZ by stretching the North & South Islands.

2 = Two jandals, one for each foot, essential footwear for NZ summer.

3 = Three-hour ferry ride from Wellington on the North Island to Picton on the South Island (the scenery on the ride is astonishingly breath-taking and unforgettable).

I also received a poster with this set of 1st day covers and naturally, it has been framed up and takes pride of place in my living room with the rest of the NZ Post posters.