Is it a quest to explore our mental and physical limits? To challenge - and overcome - the forces of nature? To experience new and undiscovered thrill sensations? Whatever the reason, people around the world have turned to the outdoors to experience the life-defining moments offered by extreme sports.
Issue information
Throwing caution to the wind, people are defying Nature's extremes in the search for an adrenaline-packed, spine-tingling, often absolutely terrifying adventure and they're finding it in a tiny country that has become known as extreme New Zealand.
A Thrill-Seeker's Dream
New Zealand's geography offers everything an extreme sports fanatic could ask for - huge skies, rushing rivers, pristine snow and much, much more. Our first day cover illustrated them all, featuring the five stamps in one action-packed location.
Maximum Perfection
You could buy awe-inspiring stamp images as maximum cards (pre-paid souvenir cards) - special souvenir collectables that were great as a complete set of five.
Defining Moments
You could read more about the history of extreme sports as well as the stamps themselves in the miniature sheet booklet. The booklet incorporated six unique miniature sheets which were only available in the booklet - five with one stamp and one incorporating all five stamps. It provided a fascinating glimpse of the danger and spectacle of life on the edge.
Product Listing for Extreme Sports
Click on image to enlarge.
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Whitewater rafting' gummed stamp. Travel to places throughout New Zealand and you'll find an ample supply of short, extremely fast-flowing rivers that offer superb whitewater rafting opportunities - from the easygoing grade 1 to the hardcore, ultra-challenging grade 5. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 90c 'Snowsports' gummed stamp. New Zealand's extensive skiing and snowboarding season - from June until October - is proving an irresistible attraction for snow enthusiasts. Internationally recognised as one of the world's best skiing and boarding destinations, New Zealand offers 13 ski fields in both the North and the South Islands. |
$0.90 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.35 'Skydiving' gummed stamp. Skydiving takes people well beyond their personal comfort zones, as they step out of a moving plane thousands of feet above sea level then freefall towards the Earth at a breathtaking 200 kilometres an hour. |
$1.35 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.50 'Jet boating' gummed stamp. Jet boating has become a renowned sit-back-and-scream extreme sport. Jet boat operators delight in daredevil antics, swerving between shingle banks, missing rocks by a hair's breadth and spinning in 360-degree circles as a stunning finale. |
$1.50 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $2.00 'Bungy jumping' gummed stamp. Bungy jumping has become a 'must do' adventure for tourists and Kiwis alike. People of all ages from anywhere and everywhere are taking death-defying leaps off platforms, from bridges, viaducts, stadiums and even helicopters. |
$2.00 |
 |
Miniature Sheet Booklet | Collectable booklet containing a range of miniature sheets and further information on the stamp issue. | $14.95 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $6.70 |
 |
Set of Maximum Cards | Set of five pre-paid postcards featuring a stamp on the front and artwork from the stamp issue. | $10.00 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 1 December 2004 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Five |
| Denominations and designs: | 45c Whitewater rafting, 90c Snowsports, $1.35 Skydiving, $1.50 Jet boating, $2.00 Bungy jumping |
| Designer: | CommArts Design, Wellington |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, Dunedin by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours plus a metallic silver |
| Stamp size and format: | 45c, $1.35, $1.50: 40mm x 30mm (landscape); 90c $2.00: 30mm x 40mm (portrait) |
| Paper type: | Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor stamp paper |
| Perforation gauge: | 14 |
| Stamps per sheet: | 50 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode, value blocks and logo blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least two stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 30 November 2005. |
