2013 marked 60 years since the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To commemorate the six decades that the Queen has served as New Zealand's graceful monarch, New Zealand Post issued a unique stamp issue.
Issue information
The Coronation took place at Westminster Abbey, London on 2 June 1953, nearly 18 months after Queen Elizabeth II succeeded her father, King George VI. The Coronation ceremony is steeped in history, and for the past 900 years the ceremony has been held at Westminster Abbey. The strong connection between New Zealand and the Queen was reinforced on the eve of the Coronation, when it was announced that New Zealander Edmund Hillary had conquered Mt Everest in the Himalayas. Four days after the Coronation, the Queen knighted Sir Edmund.
This special stamp issue featured the six main depictions of the Queen on New Zealand legal tender coins. Currency plays an important role in portraying a country’s national identity, and the Queen’s presence on the obverse side of New Zealand’s coins reflects the importance of her role as the Queen of New Zealand.
When a monarch such as Queen Elizabeth II rules for a long time, the depiction of their image on currency becomes a marker of history. Elements such as hair style, skin, clothing and royal headgear (laurel wreath, diadem or crown) change to give a spectrum of Her Majesty during her 60-year reign.
The stamps in this issue featured the six main portraits that have appeared on New Zealand‘s legal tender coins – five on circulating currency and one on a commemorative coin.
The six stamps in this issue were sure to stand. The Queen’s portrait has been created using hotstamp foil and multiple-level embossing – resulting in beautiful stamps that resemble the coins they are representing.
Presentation Pack
The presentation pack was a great way to remember this special anniversary of the Coronation. It was written by Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM QSO Governor-General of New Zealand, and details the Queen’s close links with New Zealand. Inside this collectable pack was the complete set of stamps, the miniature sheet and the first day cover – making it a comprehensive collectable to keep for yourself or give as a gift.
A Limited Edition to Treasure
Produced in limited numbers, this highly sought-after product contained a booklet written by Phillip O’Shea CNZM, LVO, KStJ, New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary to the Queen. Plate blocks of each of the six stamps were also included within the booklet. Within the Limited Edition was a special first day cover signed by Phillip O’Shea, a unique numbered miniature sheet, a complete set of stamps and colour separations of the $2.90 stamp.
Product Listing for Queen Elizabeth II - 60th Anniversary of the Coronation
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Stamp |
Single 70c 'Portrait by Mary Gillick, 1953' gummed stamp. In 1953 New Zealand, along with Britain and other countries, issued the portrait of the youthful Queen designed by Mrs Mary Gillick. It depicted the young Queen’s bust down to her shoulders and outlined the Queen’s right arm in a delicate dress. The Queen’s right ear can be seen through her carefully arranged curls, and her profile is adorned with a laurel wreath tied at the back of the head with a ribbon blowing freely. |
$0.70 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single 70c 'Portrait by Mary Gillick, 1956 (re-engraved)' gummed stamp. It was widely considered that the engraving of Mary Gillick’s 1953 design did not show the detail well. Therefore the coin was re-engraved and the new die was introduced on coins in New Zealand in 1956. On the new die the relief was lowered and more detail was added to the hair. The most prominent change was to show the detail on the Queen’s dress more clearly, which was barely visible on the original 1953 engraving. |
$0.70 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $1.40 'Portrait by Arnold Machin, 1967' gummed stamp. The third effigy of the Queen to be used on a New Zealand coin was created by Arnold Machin. It was in use in New Zealand from 1967 to 1985. The Queen was depicted as a more mature woman in this design, which portrayed her down to the shoulders with a visible dress. The laurel wreath from the Gillick design was replaced with a tiara known as 'Queen Mary's Tiara or Granny's Tiara', presented to the Queen as a wedding gift by her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1947. |
$1.40 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $1.90 'Portrait by James Berry, 1979' gummed stamp. Reginald George James Berry’s design of the Queen’s head was incorporated on New Zealand commemorative large dollar coins from 1979 to 1982. The design was unique to New Zealand and depicted the Queen wearing the Russian Fringe Tiara, which was originally given by the ‘Ladies in Society’ to Queen Alexandra on her Silver Wedding anniversary in 1888. Berry completed more than 1,000 stamp and coin designs in his lifetime. |
$1.90 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $2.40 'Portrait by Raphael Maklouf, 1986' gummed stamp. A Raphael Maklouf design was selected for a new Queen’s effigy in 1986, and the design showed the Queen without robes surrounding the neckline. The Queen’s head features an openwork diadem with four crosses pattée alternating with four bouquets of flowers. The Queen’s jewellery includes a necklace of closely arranged diamonds and tear-shaped earrings made for Queen Victoria in 1858, which were worn by Queen Elizabeth II during her Coronation. |
$2.40 | |
| Single Stamp |
Single $2.90 'Portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley, 1999' gummed stamp. A competition for a new portrait was held by the British Royal Mint in 1996, and the chosen design by Ian Rank-Broadley was used on New Zealand coins from 1999. The portrait of the Queen is very realistic, with the softly outlined wrinkles reflecting the Queen’s age. The image includes just the head and neck of the Queen and her head is adorned with the same tiara known as 'Queen Mary's Tiara or Granny's Tiara' that was used in the Arnold Machin design. |
$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 | |
| Souvenir Cover | Unique souvenir cover with six gummed stamps affixed and a special 2 June datestamp to commemorate the date of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation. | $12.50 | |
| Presentation Pack |
The presentation pack was written by Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM QSO Governor-General of New Zealand, and details the Queen’s close links with New Zealand. Inside was the complete set of stamps, the miniature sheet and the first day cover. |
$29.90 | |
| Limited Edition | Produced in limited numbers, this highly sought-after collectable contained a booklet written by Phillip O’Shea CNZM, LVO, KStJ, New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary to the Queen. Included inside were plate blocks of each of the six stamps, a special first day cover signed by Phillip O’Shea, a unique numbered miniature sheet, a complete set of stamps and colour separations of the $2.90 stamp. | $135.00 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 8 May 2013 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Six gummed stamps |
| Denominations: | 70c (x2), $1.40, $1.90, $2.40 and $2.90 |
| Stamps designed by: | Southern Colour Print Ltd, Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print Ltd by offset lithography with metallic hot-stamp foiling and multiple-level embossing |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours, PMS 877 metallic silver ink, barely blue metallic foil |
| Stamp size and format: | 30mm x 40mm (vertical) |
| Paper type: | Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 6 |
| Perforation gauge: | 14 |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 7 May 2014. |