Super 12 rugby kicked off in 1996, and marked a significant move to professionalism for the game hailed by many New Zealanders as our true national sport.
Issue information
Each season, five New Zealand teams – the Auckland Blues, the Waikato Chiefs, the Wellington Hurricanes, the Canterbury Crusaders and the Otago Highlanders thrill huge live crowds and television audiences alike as they jostle for points and placings against each other and teams from Australia and South Africa in the world’s first totally professional, inter-provincial rugby championship.
Stamps were issued in five team stamp self-adhesive booklets each containing 10 stamps of two different designs and sheetlets of ten gummed stamps.
Framed Presentations
New Zealand Post presented a unique opportunity to its customers to collect a very limited edition collector's product. Only 100 of these beautifully framed presentations were available for each team. Each presentation contained a team photograph and a numbered prestige first day cover bearing live signatures of 3 star players. A maximum card was also included and had a special gold date stamp. The outer matt of the presentation bears the live signatures of all members of the team. Each came with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Elmar Toime, Chief Executive of New Zealand Post stating that each is one of 100 framed presentations per team.
Product Listing for 1999 New Zealand U-Bix Rugby Super 12
| Image | Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pair of Single Stamps | Pair of 40c 'Hurricanes' self-adhesive stamps. | $0.80 | |
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Pair of Single Stamps | Pair of 40c 'Chiefs' self-adhesive stamps. | $0.80 |
|
Pair of Single Stamps | Pair of 40c 'Blues' self-adhesive stamps. | $0.80 |
|
Pair of Single Stamps | Pair of 40c 'Crusaders' self-adhesive stamps. | $0.80 |
|
Pair of Single Stamps | Pair of 40c 'Highlanders' self-adhesive stamps. | $0.80 |
 |
Sheetlet | Mint, used or cancelled sheetlet of ten gummed stamps. | $4.00 |
|
Souvenir Stamp Booklet Pack | Collectable pack containing each of the five team booklets. Each pack contained a built in pocket for convenient storage. | $25.00 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with two Hurricanes stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $1.30 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with two Chiefs stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $1.30 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with two Blues stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $1.30 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with two Crusaders stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $1.30 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with two Highlanders stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $1.30 |
| Prestige First Day Cover | Hurricanes prestige first day cover with 3 printed signatures and two stamps affixed. | $25.00 | |
 |
Prestige First Day Cover | Chiefs prestige first day cover with 3 printed signatures and two stamps affixed. | $25.00 |
| Prestige First Day Cover | Blues prestige first day cover with 3 printed signatures and two stamps affixed. | $25.00 | |
|
Prestige First Day Cover | Crusaders prestige first day cover with 3 printed signatures and two stamps affixed. | $25.00 |
|
Prestige First Day Cover | Highlanders prestige first day cover with 3 printed signatures and two stamps affixed. | $25.00 |
|
Set of Maximum Cards | Set of five pre-paid super 12 maximum cards featuring a stamp on the front and artwork from the stamp issue. | $6.65 |
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Self-adhesive Booklet | Booklet containing 10 x 40c Hurricanes self-adhesive stamps. | $4.00 |
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Self-adhesive Booklet | Booklet containing 10 x 40c Chiefs self-adhesive stamps. | $4.00 |
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Self-adhesive Booklet | Booklet containing 10 x 40c Blues self-adhesive stamps. | $4.00 |
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Self-adhesive Booklet | Booklet containing 10 x 40c Crusaders self-adhesive stamps. | $4.00 |
 |
Self-adhesive Booklet | Booklet containing 10 x 40c Highlanders self-adhesive stamps. | $4.00 |
|
Presentation Pack | Presentation pack containing the Hurricanes booklet, first day cover and maximum card. | $10.00 |
|
Presentation Pack | Presentation pack containing the Chiefs booklet, first day cover and maximum card. | $10.00 |
|
Presentation Pack | Presentation pack containing the Blues booklet, first day cover and maximum card. | $10.00 |
|
Presentation Pack | Presentation pack containing the Crusaders booklet, first day cover and maximum card. | $10.00 |
|
Presentation Pack | Presentation pack containing the Highlanders booklet, first day cover and maximum card. | $10.00 |
|
Framed Presentation | Limited edition collectable containing a photograph of the Hurricanes, numbered prestige first day cover and signatures of three star players. | $500.00 |
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Framed Presentation | Limited edition collectable containing a photograph of the Chiefs, numbered prestige first day cover and signatures of three star players. | $500.00 |
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Framed Presentation | Limited edition collectable containing a photograph of the Blues, numbered prestige first day cover and signatures of three star players. | $500.00 |
|
Framed Presentation | Limited edition collectable containing a photograph of the Crusaders, numbered prestige first day cover and signatures of three star players. | $500.00 |
|
Framed Presentation | Limited edition collectable containing a photograph of the Highlanders, numbered prestige first day cover and signatures of three star players. | $500.00 |
| self-adhesive |
| self-adhesive |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 7 April 1999 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamp designs: | 10 (two designs per team) |
| Denominations and designs: | Auckland Blues kick - 40c, Auckland Blues tackle - 40c; Chiefs lineout jump - 40c, Chiefs tackle - 40c; Wellington Hurricanes pass/run with ball - 40c, Wellington Hurricanes tackle - 40c; Canterbury Crusaders lineout jump - 40c, Canterbury Crusaders kick - 40c; Otago Highlanders running with ball - 40c, Otago Highlanders diving try - 40c |
| Number of booklets: | Five (one booklet of 10 x 40c stamps for each New Zealand U-Bix Super 12 team) |
| Stamps illustratrated by: | Paul Martinson, Masterton, New Zealand |
| Stamps designed by: | Dianne Prosser, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Booklet cover designed by: | BNA Design, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Live image player panel designed by: | Dianne Prosser, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Sheetlet designed by: | BNA Design, Wellington, New Zealand |
| First day covers designd by: | BNA Design, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Sheetlet: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand by lithography; Self-adhesive stamps: Australia Post Sprintpak by lithography |
| Number of colours: | Sheetlet and stamps: five colours; Self-ashesive stamps: four colours, plus one special colour |
| Stamp size and format: | Sheetlet stamps: 37.1mm x 26mm (vertical); Self-adhesive stamps: 37.5mm x 26mm (vertical) |
| Paper type: | Sheetlet and stamps: 103gsm red phosphor stamp paper; Self-adhesive stamps: JAC B100 stamp paper with printed phosphor tagging |
| Perforation gauge: | Sheetlet stamps: 14 |
| Number of stamps per booklet: | 10 |
| Number of stamps per sheetlet: | 10 |
| Cost of unaddressed first day covers with two stamps: | $1.30 per team |
| Special blocks: | No special blocks were available for this issue. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 7 April 2000. |
