For the first time ever, NZ Post released its digital stamps at the weekend – which sold out within two hours.

Inviting a new audience into the fascinating world of stamp collecting the digital stamps were released yesterday (Sunday 11 June).

Each stamp is a piece of curated digital art, issued in a non-fungible token (NFT) format.The first digital stamps released were NZ Post’s historic 1898 pictorial collection.

“They can be bought, collected, stored, exchanged and traded, just like physical stamps,” NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables Antony Harris says.

Harris said he knew the pictorial collection would be popular and was delighted they sold out within two hours after being released.

He said a date for a second release will be confirmed in the next few weeks.

“The first collection dropped consisted of 14 different designs, each celebrating different iconic New Zealand landscapes or native wildlife.

“These stamps are important to Aotearoa New Zealand as they were one of the world’s earliest pictorial definitive issues, and a huge departure from the usual portrait designs of monarchs and heads of state that were available beforehand.”

Partnering with VeVe, a New Zealand owned collectables investing platform, Harris said the opportunity to expand NZ Post’s Collectables business into the digital art space was “very exciting.”

“NFTs can be part of offering more options for our existing customers who are looking for new and different ways to collect – and for those people who do not currently collect stamps but have an interest in digital collectables.”

VeVe specialise in selling digital collectables and comics from well-known brands such as Disney, Marvel and USPS digital stamps and allows collectors to create virtual showrooms and share digital collectables with other enthusiasts around the world.

Each NFT has an authentic certificate created using blockchain technology, meaning it cannot be replaced or replicated due to its completely unique properties.

VeVe Co-Founder and CEO David Yu says he’s excited to work with NZ Post on the project.

“Welcoming NZ Post is exceptionally exciting for us at VeVe, for many reasons but first and foremost, New Zealand is VeVe’s home,” Yu said.

“Being able to share, globally, the culture and history of our beautiful country is part of what collecting is all about. And stamps, perhaps more than any other collectable niche, provides a window into different cultures and histories of the world.

“As someone who has been a stamp collector for most of my life, the global nature of stamp collecting has always been of interest to me,” he said.

Inviting a new audience into the fascinating world of stamp collecting the digital stamps collectables.nzpost.co.nz and www.veve.me for further information.

ENDS

Image attached with permission to use. Video also attached.

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