A New Zealand Children’s Health stamp issue has been issued every year since 1929. The three stamps in this issue all carried a 5c surcharge which was donated to New Zealand Children’s Health Camps, which works to provide a healthy environment for children.
Issue information
The focus of this year’s Children’s Health stamp issue was children’s books and their contribution to the education, health and well-being of our children. Like parables, these stories were intended not only to enlighten but also to educate the listener.
Chosen for this stamp issue were three popular children’s books. The first is Hairy Maclary's Bone, by Lynley Dodd, published in 1984. Hairy Maclary has become a familar and very special character to New Zealand children, and has helped cement Dodd's place as one of New Zealand's foremost authors of children's picture books.
The second is A Lion in the Meadow text by Margaret Mahy. No collection could be complete without this title by Mahy, a seminal work of New Zealand children's literature first published in 1961. Mahy has fittingly described the story as being "about the triumph of a child's imagination".
The last stamp in this issue is Greedy Cat, by Joy Cowley. This story, while a distinctly New Zealand tale written by a New Zealander in 1983, has universal appeal and is as popular overseas as it is here.
All of these authors have made wonderful and ongoing contributions to helping our children learn how to read, while telling stories that children love to read.
Two stamps were produced in sheet format while a third self-adhesive stamp was produced in coils of 100 stamps. All three stamps were also reproduced on a miniature sheet.
Special Set of First Day Covers
The Children's Health Camps board released an official set of seven first day covers to help raise funds for the regional Children's Health camps throughout New Zealand.
Each first day cover had its own distinct postmark, including the date of issue and the name of each of the seven Children's Health Camps.
This set of seven was only available by invitation and had a guaranteed limited production of 1,000.
Product Listing for 1999 Children's Health - Children's Books
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 40c + 5c 'A Lion in the Meadow' gummed stamp. Illustrations by Jenny Williams. Reproduced by permission of Orion Children’s Books. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 80c + 5c 'Greedy Cat' gummed stamp. Illustrations by Robin Belton ã Crown, 1983. Reproduced by permission of the publisher Learning Media Ltd, Wellington, NZ. |
$0.85 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 40c + 5c 'Hairy Maclary 's Bone, by Lynley Dodd' self-adhesive stamp. 1984 licensed by Mallinson Rendel Publishers Ltd., Wellington, NZ |
$0.45 |
 |
Miniature Sheet | Mint, used or cancelled miniature sheet. | $1.75 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $2.25 |
 |
Set of First Day Covers | Set of seven first day covers with two gummed and one self-adhesive stamp affixed. Each first day cover cancelled with a unique unique postmark on the first day of issue. Limited to 1,000 sets. | $38.50 |
 |
Miniature Sheet First Day Cover | First day cover with miniature sheet affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $2.25 |
 |
Self-adhesive Dispenser | Dispenser box containing 100 x 40c + 5c self-adhesive stamps. | $45.00 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 16 June 1999 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Three |
| Denominations and designs: | Sheet stamps: 40c (+5c donation) A Lion in the Meadow, 80c (+5c donation) Greedy Cat; Self-adhesive stamp: 40c (+5c donation) Hairy Maclary's Bone; Miniature sheet with two 40c (+5c donation) and one 80c (+5c donation) at $1.75 |
| Stamps and first day cover designed by: | Ann Adams, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Miniature sheet designed by: | Ann Adams, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand by lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours and one special colour (different for each denomination) |
| Stamp size: | Sheet stamps: 40mm x 30mm (horizontal); Self-adhesive: 37mm x 26mm (horizontal) |
| Miniature sheet size: | 130mm x 90mm |
| Paper type: | Sheet stamps: 103gsm red phosphor stamp paper; Self-adhesive: red phosphor litho coated stamp paper |
| Perforation gauge: | 14 |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 50 |
| Number of stamps per self-adhesive dispenser: | 100 |
| Cost of unaddressed first day cover with miniature sheet: | $2.25 |
| Cost of unaddressed first day cover with stamps: | $2.25 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint, positional or value blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six sheet stamps. Colour blocks ('traffic lights') were included in plate blocks. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats. Special blocks were not available for self-adhesive stamps. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 15 June 2000. |