Following the death of King George VI it was decided that the stamps currently in use depicting the late King be replaced as soon as possible by a full set depicting Queen Elizabeth II.
Issue information
All values from 1/2d to 1s 9d were produced from two designs by L C Mitchell, the high values, 2s 6d to 10s were from an illustration by J Berry. Bradbury Wilkinson printed all stamps except the middle values, 9d to 1s 9d, which were printed by Thomas De La Rue. The lower values of this issue (1/2d to 8d) can be easily distinguished from a later issue by the four stars in the bottom right corner of each stamp. Owing to a shortage of stamps the 1 1/2d was issued in December 1953 prior to the other values.
Acknowledgments
Historical Information
Information included on this page sourced from The Postage Stamps of New Zealand published by the Royal Philatelic Society of NZ. Their web site offers further information useful to those interested in the stamps and postal history of New Zealand. Link: https://www.rpsnz.org.nz/
Stamp Bulletin
Bulletin scanned and provided by John Biddlecombe of the New Zealand Society of Great Britain. Their web site offers further information useful to those interested in the stamps and postal history of New Zealand. Link: http://www.nzsgb.org.uk/
Stamp Bulletin
This stamp issue first appeared in New Zealand Post Stamp Bulletin No. 5 on 25 January 1954.
Product Listing for 1953-1954 Queen Elizabeth II
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 1/2d 'Grey' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
1/2d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 1d 'Orange ' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
1d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 1 1/2d 'Brown' gummed stamp. Issued 15 December 1953. |
1 1/2d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 2d 'Green' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
2d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 3d 'Red' gummed stamp Issued 1 March 1954. |
3d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 4d 'Blue' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
4d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 6d 'Purple' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
6d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 8d 'Red' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
8d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 9d 'Brown/Green' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
9d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 1s 'Black/Red' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
1s |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 1s 6d 'Blue/Black' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
1s6d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 1s 9d 'Black/Orange' gummed stamp. Issued 1 July 1957. |
1s9d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 2s 6d 'Brown' gummed stamp. Issued 1 July 1957. |
2s6d |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 3s 'Green' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
3s |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 5s 'Red' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
5s |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 10s 'Blue' gummed stamp. Issued 1 March 1954. |
10s |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 15 December 1953 |
|---|---|
| Designers: | L C Mitchell and James Berry |
| Printers: | Bradbury Wilkinson, England and Thomas De La Rue, England |
| Stamp size: | 1/2d - 8d : 20mm x 24mm; 9d, 1s, 1s 6d and 1s 9d : 24mm x 28mm; 2s 6d, 3s, 5s and 10s : 24mm x 40mm |
| Sheet size: | 1/2d - 8d : 240 stamps per sheet; 9d - 1s 9d : 160 stamps per sheet (in two panes of 80); 2s 6d and 10s : 120 stamps per sheet; Booklets containing 1d and 3d stamps |
| Process: | Recess printed - Intaglio |
| Perforation gauge: | Low Values: 14 x 13.5; Middle values : 14; High values : 13.5 |
| Paper type: | Wiggins Teape 'Royal Cypher', multiple NZ and star watermark |