Journey around New Zealand’s extensive coastline and you’ll witness an immense variety of spectacular locations – from wild, rugged mountain ranges sloping to steep-cliffed shores, to stunning white-sanded beaches and picturesque offshore islands.
Issue information
The 2000 Scenic Definitives was an addition to the existing series of definitive stamps that commenced in 1995 with the issue of the 40c Mitre Peak Definitive.
This set of Scenic Definitives visits four such places: the Otago Peninsula, where the Taiaroa Head lighthouse signals to ships up to 32 kilometres away; the Kaikoura Coast, set against the awe-inspiring, snow-capped Seaward Kaikoura Range; Great Barrier Island, the first place in New Zealand to use 'airmail' postage, when pigeons carried mail to the mainland; and Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay, home to one of the world's two known mainland gannet colonies - large, powerful seabirds known for their plummeting 145 kilometre-per-hour dives for fish.
Each stamp's border links to the area's distinctive flora and fauna - the red-billed gull of Taiaroa Head, the seals of Kaikoura Coast, the native toi toi of Great Barrier Island and the gannets of Cape Kidnappers.
These new definitives replace the $1.00, $2.00 and $3.00 Butterflies stamps issued in 1991, and complement the existing range priced from 5c to 90c. A new $1.10 definitives reflects the international postage rate for sending postcards or aerogrammes from New Zealand to anywhere in the world, or medium-sized letters by International Air to Australia and South Pacfic.
Product Listing for 2000 Scenic Definitives
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.00 'Taiaroa Head' gummed stamp. The Otago Peninsula, where the Taiaroa Head lighthouse signals to ships up to 32 kilometres away. Border design – the red-billed gull of Taiaroa Head. |
$1.00 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.10 'The Kaikoura Coast' gummed stamp. The Kaikoura Coast, set against the awe-inspiring, snow-capped Seaward Kaikoura Range. Border design – the seals of Kaikoura Coast. |
$1.10 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $2.00 'Great Barrier Island' gummed stamp. Great Barrier Island, the first place in New Zealand to use ‘airmail’ postage, when pigeons carried mail to the mainland. Border design – the native toi toi of Great Barrier Island. |
$2.00 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $3.00 'Cape Kidnappers' gummed stamp. Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay, home to one of the world’s two known mainland gannet colonies – large, powerful seabirds known for their plummeting 145 kilometre-per-hour dives for fish. Border design – the gannets of Cape Kidnappers. |
$3.00 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with four gummed stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $7.60 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 6 March 2000 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Four |
| Denominations and designs: | $1.00 Taiaroa Head, $1.10 Kaikoura Coast, $2.00 Great Barrier Island, $3.00 Cape Kidnappers |
| $1.00, $1.10 and $3.00 stamps designed by: | Red Cactus Design, Wellington, New Zealand |
| $2.00 stamp and first day cover designed by: | Stephen Fuller, Watermark, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | 25mm x 30mm (horizontal) |
| Paper type: | Red phosphor coated litho stamp paper |
| Perforation gauge: | 14 |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 50 |
| Cost of unaddressed first day cover: | $7.60 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least four sheet stamps. Barcode and value blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least two sheet stamps. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats for sheet stamps. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 5 March 2001. |
