2012 marked a significant year for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as she celebrated 60 years as a dedicated monarch. New Zealand Post was proud to present the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee stamps to mark this prestigious anniversary.
Issue information
The 60th anniversary of a monarch’s accession is known as a ‘Diamond Jubilee’, and it is certainly an occasion worth celebrating. Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee is only the second in the past 1,000 years of New Zealand and British history. The first was Queen Victoria's in 1897. Queen Elizabeth II’s coincided with Waitangi Day on 6 February 2012.
Queen Elizabeth II has close links to New Zealand, and is the first monarch to adopt the title Queen of New Zealand. She has visited New Zealand on ten separate occasions, both officially and informally, and in the past six decades she had been actively involved in all aspects of New Zealand life.
Featuring silver foiling on metallic silver ink, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee stamps reflected this prestigious anniversary. Each of the six stamps in this highly collectable stamp issue reflected Her Majesty's close association with a dedication to Aotearoa. From the official 2012 portraits to photographs of the Queen's various tours of New Zealand, this was a stamp issue worth celebrating.
This stamp issue wouldn't be complete without a miniature sheet and first day covers. The first day covers featured the official New Zealand portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as the official New Zealand Diamond Jubilee emblem. They were the perfect accompaniments to the set of stamps.
Product Listing for 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Single Stamp |
Single 70c '2012 Official New Zealand Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II' gummed stamp. Official portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh wearing their New Zealand honours have been released to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Taken in the Blue Room of Buckingham Palace, this portrait depicts The Queen wearing the Sovereign’s insignia of the Order of New Zealand, the New Zealand Order of Merit, Star, Sash and Badge and The Queen’s Service Order. The Queen wears the Diamond Fern brooch presented by the women of Auckland in 1953 on her right shoulder, and is also wearing the historic Hanoverian Fringe Tiara and matching necklace. |
$0.70 | |
|
Single Stamp |
Single 70c '2012 Official New Zealand Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh' gummed stamp. In this official portrait, the Duke of Edinburgh is wearing the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal New Zealand Navy (appointed 1958). This uniform is identical to that worn as an Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal Navy, to which rank he was appointed in 1953. The Duke’s medal bar gives pride of place to the Badge of a Companion of The Queen’s Service Order, to which he was appointed in 1981. |
$0.70 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $1.40 '1986 Hastings, New Zealand' gummed stamp. The $1.40 stamp pictures Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at the national Māori reception given in their honour at Hastings, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Both The Queen and the Duke are wearing ceremonial korowai (cloaks), made from prized kiwi feathers, as they arrive at the reception at Nelson Park. |
$1.40 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $1.90 '1981 Wellington, New Zealand' gummed stamp. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh made a brief tour of New Zealand in 1981, following a Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in Melbourne, Australia. In the $1.90 stamp they are pictured waving to well-wishers from their open car in Wellington. |
$1.90 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $2.40 '1977 Wellington, New Zealand' gummed stamp. In 1977, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on a Commonwealth tour to celebrate Her Majesty’s Silver Jubilee. The royal couple were in New Zealand from 22 February to 7 March, and are pictured on the $2.40 stamp in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital. |
$2.40 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $2.90 '1953 Auckland, New Zealand' gummed stamp. Queen Elizabeth II made her first tour of New Zealand in 1953, and the country was overcome with excitement as she visited 46 towns and cities. The $2.90 stamp shows Her Majesty delivering her Christmas message from Government House in Auckland. Significantly, this was her first and only Christmas message broadcast from outside Britain. |
$2.90 | |
| Miniature Sheet | Mint, used or cancelled gummed miniature sheet. | $10.00 | |
| First Day Cover | First day cover with six gummed stamps affixed. | $10.50 | |
| Miniature Sheet First Day Cover | First day cover with gummed miniature sheet affixed. | $10.50 | |
| Presentation Pack | Presentation pack which included six gummed stamps, the miniature sheet and the first day cover. The presentation pack contained in-depth information on Queen Elizabeth II's close association with New Zealand during her 60-year reign. | $29.90 | |
| Limited Edition | Included within the limited edition was a booklet written by Dr Sean Palmer, Chair, Monarchy New Zealand, which contained plate blocks of each of the six stamps. It also contained other exclusive stamp products; a unique first day cover signed by Dr Sean Palmer, a special numbered imperforate miniature sheet, a complete set of stamps and colour separations of the 70c stamp featuring Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. | $135.00 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 9 May 2012 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Six gummed stamps |
| Stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers and presentation pack designed by: | Capiche, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Denominations: | 70c (x2), $1.40, $1.90, $2.40 and $2.90 |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print Ltd by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours plus PMS 877 silver and silver foil |
| Stamp size and format: | 30mm x 40mm (vertical) |
| Paper type: | Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 25 |
| Perforation gauge: | 14.5 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks were available in A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 8 May 2013. |
