New Zealand was first discovered in 1642 by the Dutch explorer Tasman who named it Staaten Island. Cook circumnavigated the islands in 1769-70.
On his second visit to the islands, in 1773-77, Cook formally annexed the islands in the name of King George III, however this was not ratified by the British Government
at the time. New Zealand was granted self-government effective from 1856.
Regular postal communications were established with Sydney in Australia in 1831 but there was no formal post office in New Zealand.
The first Post Office was established in 1840.
The Post Office was under the control of the GPO in Britain till 1848 when control was passed over by the colony.
When the first New Zealand stamp was issued in July 1855 there were just 16 post offices and sub offices in New Zealand.
The first items of postal stationery to be issued by New Zealand were postcards on 1 November 1876.
This was followed by newspaper wrappers on 1 April 1878; lettercards on 1 January 1895; registered envelopes on 21 Jun 1898;
envelopes on 4 June 1899 and air letter sheets or aerogrammes on 17 November 1941.
Philatelic Societies for collectors of New Zealand Stamps and Postal History
New Zealand Society of Great Britain (UK) The Society exists for the study of the stamps and postal history of New Zealand and its Dependencies.
Although the majority of the members are based in Great Britain, there are a large number of international members.
The Perfin Club of New Zealand and Australia The Club was formed in 1987 and currently has about 150 members.
Members' interests include the Official and private perfins of Australia and New Zealand.
The Pacific Islands Study Circle Deals with stamps and postal
history of the Pacific Islands. New Zealand Dependencies are covered,
but not New Zealand or Australia. Their magazine Pacifica is published
four times a year.
Society of Australasian Specialists/Oceania The Society of Australasian Specialists/Oceania is a diverse community with word-wide membership.
Their scope is the postal history and stamps of the countries, colonies and territories, past and present of Australasia and Oceania.
King George VI New Zealand website The purpose of the King George VI New Zealand website is to expand and make more widely available the body of philatelic knowledge and
postal history relating to the postage stamps and postal stationery issued by New Zealand during the King George VI Period.
New Zealand Stamps - The 1935 Pictorials The second New Zealand Pictorial set (the first being in 1898) was issued on the first of May 1935. After a design competition that began in 1931 with over 1500 entries.
After much discussion 11 designers were chosen. Iconic images such as fauna, scenery, maoridom, sport, agriculture and history all being represented.
With such a range of imagery the set initially had its detractors, but as the set was issued and the stamps circulated, the images charms were soon celebrated.
Bibliography of King George VI New Zealand Philatelic References The Bibliography of King George VI – New Zealand Philatelic References is a project with the goal of assembling published references relating to the postage stamps and postal history of New Zealand during the King George VI Period.
Health Stamps
Health stamp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Antarctica
New Zealand - Ross Dependency 1957-1971
by Eunice Shanahan 1908 - King Edward VII Land - stamp issued for the Shackleton Expedition. 1911 - Victoria Land - stamp issued for the Scott Expedition.
The first base erected in 1956.
Revenues
NZ Revenues
by Andrew Spence The NZ Revenues website was established to provide collectors with a comprehensive online reference source for stamps from "The Back of the Book",
complete with colour scans, up-to-date market information ...
Books on New Zealand stamps and New Zealand postal history
The Advertising Stamps of New Zealand Issues 1893
by Boggs, 1940
A Far-reaching Innovation. Public trials; Government and Commercial usage of franking machines in New Zealand 1904-1921
by G I Robertson, Published by the Postal History Society of New Zealand, 2003, 246pp Origins of the franking machine; The New Zealand machines; Regulation and legislation; Government Department users; Commercial users.
Illustrated handbook of New Zealand registration labels, 1908-1965
by Professor I D Campbell, published by the Postal History Society of New Zealand, 1965, 82pp Compiled by I D Campell with the assistance of members of the society.
Ink Jet Cancellations of New Zealand
by Aud Eriksen, Published by Postal History Society of New Zealand,
1997, 60pp
New Zealand, A
Century
of Philately, A History of New Zealand Stamp Collecting
by W N Strachan.
1988,
289pp Just about
everything
that happened in NZ philately, listings of
handbooks,
journals, dealers. Well written and produced.
New Zealand,
The Great
Barrier Island 1898-99 Pigeon Post Stamps
by J Reg Walker,
1968,
109pp A fine study of
the history,
stamps and covers
New
Zealand Marine & Railway TPO's, their Histories & Postmarks
by Ward, 1951, 19pp
New Zealand: A Philatelic
Handbook
by Raymond James George Collins, published by Verne & Co, 1921, 88pp, "Verne" Handbook No 2
New Zealand Postal Manuscripts
by A Ross Marshall, published by the Postal History Society of New Zealand, 1976, 297pp
New Zealand, A Postal
History of the Samoan Islands, Part 2, 1914-1989
by Richard Burge, 1989, 276pp The definitive work, considerable US World Wars interest.
New Zealand Railway Charges Stamps: Design and Printing
by J W Brodie, 1983, 55pp A most detailed study, facsimile printing in colour
New Zealand
and the Universal Postal Union to
1907
by Colin Capill
Rates, 1993,
133pp Detailed
regulations
and much background as to why stamps were issued, etc.
The
Oceanic Dependencies of New Zealand
by Raymond James George Collins, 1920, published by Verne, 52pp
The
Postage Stamps, Envelopes and Post Cards of Australia and the British
Colonies of Oceania
by the Philatelic Society, London, 1887 Details of the stamps and
postal stationery of - Fiji, New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland,
South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia.
The Postage
Stamps of
New Zealand Vol VII
by K J McNaught,
1988,
361pp
New Zealand Postal History 1820 to 1874. The full set is one of the fabled works in philately. For
those that like Postal History this volume will be a treasured addition to
their
library.
The
Postage Stamps of New
Zealand Volume IX
- Postal Stationery
by Robert Samuel, published by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand,
2007 Deals with postcards, Lettercards, Registered Envelopes, Envelopes, the
1932 Adhesive Provisionals, Newspaper Wrappers, Aerogrammes, Government
Department Printed Franks, the 6d King Edward VII Telegraph Form,
Stamped Adhesive Labels, Impressed Honey Seal Stamps and Postal Notes.
The Postal History of the New Zealand Military Postal Services 1845-1991
by R M Startup and E B Proud 1993, 377pp
Postal Stationery of New Zealand
by R M Startup, published by the Postal History Society of New Zealand, 1966, 80pp Comprehensive details of all the postal stationery issued in New Zealand up to 1966.
The Squared Circle Cancellations
of New Zealand
by Alfred John Robinson,
published by the Postal History Society of New Zealand, 1968
Article in Magazine and Journals
April 1950 issue of Gibbons Stamp Monthly pp 95 - 97
People and Posts of the Kermadec Islands
Two articles - one is by Harold G D Gisburn and the other is by Dr J L
Grumbridge The Kermadec Islands are a tiny
group of islands some 600 miles north east of New Zealand and they
comprise of Raoul Island, Esperance Island, Curtis Island and Macaulay Island. The first
post office was established on 2 March 1945 on Raoul Island. The
articles give details of the history of the islands and details of the
postal arrangements existing at the time of writing.
Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Inc (NZ)
Stamps