Antarctica is roughly twice the size of Australia – some 14 million square kilometres. Massive glaciers flow down from the icecap to merge into flat-topped ice shelves. One of these is the Ross Dependency.
Issue information
Relentless activity takes place all year round on this huge shelf, as nature creates daunting shapes and fascinating colours. This issue featured some of the formations that have been captured on film.
Sea ices formed during the winter and early spring are eroded into works of art during the brief Antarctic summer. Glacial tongues, such as the one in Robertson Bay, North Victoria Land, float out into the water, sometimes for many kilometres. Flat-topped tabular icebergs, carved from huge ice shelves or glaciers, roam the Southern Ocean. At Cape Evans, the site of Captain Scott's base, the glow of the autumn sun lights up the edges of the ice floes.
Ross Dependency stamps were first issued in 1957. Thirty years later, they were discontinued when the New Zealand Post Office on the ice was closed. Reintroduced in 1994, since then an annual set of commemorative stamps has been issued by New Zealand Post for the Ross Dependency.
Se-tenant Set of Stamps
The six stamps in this issue were also available in a se-tenant block of six format.
Ross Dependency Postage in New Zealand
| Ross Dependency stamps are not valid for postage in New Zealand. Click here to find out more. | |
Product Listing for 1998 Ross Dependency - Ice Formations
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 40c 'Sculptured sea ice' gummed stamp. Sea ice formed during winter and early spring are eroded into works of art during the brief Antarctic summer. |
$0.40 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 80c 'Glacial tongue' gummed stamp. Glacial tongues, such as the one in Robertson Bay, North Victoria Land, float out into the water, sometimes for many kilometres. |
$0.80 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.00 'Stranded tabular iceberg' gummed stamp. Flat-topped tabular icebergs, carved from huge ice shelves or glaciers, roam the Southern Ocean. |
$1.00 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.20 'Autumn at Cape Evans' gummed stamp. At Cape Evans, the site of Captain Scott’s base, the glow of the autumn sun lights up the edges of the ice flows. |
$1.20 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.50 'Sea ice in summer thaw' gummed stamp. The formation of sea ice around Antarctica during the depths of winter is one of nature’s most dramatic large-scale phenomena. The continent almost doubles in size. |
$1.50 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.80 'Sunset on tabular icebergs' gummed stamp. Antarctica is famous for its gigantic tabular icebergs, some of which are up to 200 kilometres long. |
$1.80 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with se-tenant block of six gummed stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $7.20 |
 |
Presentation Pack | Presentation pack containing a selection of stamp products from the issue and further information on the theme of the stamps. | $8.50 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 11 November 1998 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Six |
| Denominations and designs: | 40c Sculptured sea ice, 80c Glacial toungue, $1.00 Stranded tabular iceberg, $1.20 Autumn at Cape Evans, $1.50 Sea ice in summer thaw, $1.80 Sunset on tabular icebergs |
| Stamps and first day cover designed by: | Stephen Fuller, Advertising Picture Company, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, New Zealand, by lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | 40mm x 30mm (horizontal) |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 50 |
| Perforation gauge: | 14 |
| Paper type: | 103gsm gummed red phosphor coated stamp paper |
| Cost of unadressed first day cover: | $7.20 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint or positional blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six sheet stamps. Colour blocks ('traffic lights') were included in plate blocks for sheet stamps. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats for individual stamp denominations. Special blocks were not available for the se-tenant block. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 11 November 1999. |
