The America’s Cup, affectionately known as the Auld Mug, is the oldest active trophy in international sport. First contested in 1851, it predates the modern Olympics by 45 years.
The competition for this prestigious Cup began when a schooner named America won a race around the Isle of Wight against a fleet of Britain’s finest boats. In 1857 the owners of America donated the Cup to the New York Yacht Club (NYCC). The Cup was to become a ‘challenge trophy’ for ‘friendly competition between foreign countries’. And so began America’s 132 year winning-streak and domination of the sport.
America successfully defended the cup 24 times, until in 1983 when they met their match and failed to beat Australia. The longest winning streak in history was finally broken.
The America’s Cup is notoriously difficult to win. Since the first race over 150 years ago, only four nations have been able to join the extremely exclusive winners’ circle, New Zealand being one of them.
1995 was New Zealand’s year for victory. Team New Zealand sailed to glory in their superior craft and the America’s Cup was welcomed with open arms back to the southern hemisphere. However, this was short-lived and despite having been successful defending the Cup in 2000, we lost and farewelled the Cup in 2003. After regaining the cup in 2017, Emirates Team New Zealand and Te Rehutai have once again defended the cup for Aotearoa.
Product listing for 2021 America's Cup
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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Set of Stamps |
Mint, used or cancelled sheet of six x $2.70 gummed stamps. On 17 March 2021, Emirates Team New Zealand entered into the history books their successful defence of the prestigious America’s Cup, winning it for a fourth time. On the seventh day of the 36th America’s Cup, the team took out the Auld Mug with a spectacular performance that saw them pull out over 500m ahead of Luna Rossa Prada Perelli. By the final gate, the Kiwis took the right-hand mark 49 seconds ahead of the Italians as they headed off on the last leg of what would become the exhilarating final race. |
$19.90 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 17 March 2021 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Six gummed stamps |
| Denominations: | Six x $2.70 |
| Designed by: | John Morris, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer: | Collectables and Solutions Centre, NZ Post, Whanganui, New Zealand |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | 36.95mm x 37.5mm (vertical) |
| Sheet size and format: | 260mm x 170mm (horizontal) |
| Paper type: | Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | Six |
| Perforation gauge: | 14.40 x 14.615 |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 16 March 2022. |