New Zealand is a nation of icons, but few have qualities to equal those of the late Sir Peter Blake – inspirational leader, brilliant yachtsman, record breaker, passionate Kiwi and ardent environmentalist.
Issue information
Sir Peter James Blake (1 October 1948 – 6 December 2001) earned iconic status for many reasons: for his sporting prowess, his winning management style, his engaging and enthusiastic personality, his commitment to the environment and his exemplary performance as an ambassador for our country. In this stamp issue, New Zealand Post celebrated five elements of this extraordinary man’s life.
A Personal View
As the voice of New Zealand yachting for more than 25 years, Peter Montgomery has covered eight America’s Cups and six Whitbread Round the World Races. In the Sir Peter Blake presentation pack, he provided a uniquely personal view of the Peter Blake he knew – a man at one with the ocean, in the most demanding of conditions. The presentation pack comprised of a set of gummed stamps, a miniature sheet and a stamp first day cover.
Special Offer
Included in the presentation pack for this issue was an imperforate miniature sheet, which was also an adult entry ticket (valued at $16.00) to visit Blue Water Black Magic – A Tribute to Sir Peter Blake at the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum. Only 4,000 imperforate miniature sheets were produced.
A unique Voyager New Zealand Museum pictorial cancellation was used when the entry ticket was redeemed.
An Extraordinary Life
The first day covers and miniature sheet captured the essence of Sir Peter Blake – his leadership in every endeavour, and his determination to succeed.
A Superb Collectable
National icon, world sailing legend and indefatigable defender of the seas – Sir Peter Blake and his life make fascinating reading, especially in this very special Limited Edition. Written by Bob Fisher, a noted yachtsman and yachting journalist based in the United Kingdom, this Limited Edition was a superb tribute to a Kiwi icon, and an engrossing read for today’s and future generations.
Product Listing for Sir Peter Blake 1948 - 2001
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 50c 'Inspirational Leader' gummed stamp. Read the Limited Edition that accompanies this stamp collection and you’ll see that Sir Peter Blake’s life was all about leadership – on the waves and on land, in roles ranging from skipper in some of the world’s most famous yacht races to manager of New Zealand’s challenge for the America’s Cup, and leader of blakexpeditions in its crusade to save the world’s aquatic environment. |
$0.50 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.00 'Yachtsman' gummed stamp. Yachting was in Blake’s blood and – as you can see in the images on the stamps and other collectables – a constant in his life and his work. The sea was his childhood playground, and it wasn’t long before he graduated from P-Class yacht to Z-Class dinghy and beyond. He was to sail in – and win – the world’s most prestigious yacht races, demonstrating time and again his skills as an outstanding ocean race competitor. |
$1.00 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.80 'Record Breaker' gummed stamp. Sir Peter Blake didn’t just love sailing, he excelled at it. Highly competitive, he was also meticulous in his planning and preparation – a combination that saw him set a number of international records. These included achieving a perfect performance of line and handicap doubles for all six legs of the Whitbread 1989-90 Round the World Race and setting a new record of 74 days 22 hours and 17 minutes around the world in the 1994 Jules Verne Challenge. |
$1.80 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $2.30 'Passionate Kiwi' gummed stamp. Throughout his life, Sir Peter Blake was passionate about his nation and nationality – a commitment amply demonstrated in his leadership of the Team New Zealand challenge for the America’s Cup. Donning his trademark lucky red socks, he was one of the crew as well as the syndicate boss and team leader – a true Kiwi, confident that the sailors of his home country had what it took to win yachting’s most prestigious prize. |
$2.30 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $2.80 'Environmentalist' gummed stamp. Although Blake gave up competitive sailing, the sea remained a vital part of his life – so it’s no surprise that he poured his energies into building public awareness of the threats facing the environment, particularly water. He created his own organisation, blakexpeditions, and in 2001 was appointed a United Nations Environment Programme Special Envoy. Tragically, his mission was cut short when in December that year he was shot and killed by pirates at the mouth of the Amazon River. |
$2.80 |
 |
Miniature Sheet | Mint, used or cancelled miniature sheet. | $8.40 |
 |
First Day Cover | First day cover with stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $8.90 |
 |
Miniature Sheet First Day Cover | First day cover with miniature sheet affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $8.90 |
 |
Presentation Pack | Included a set of gummed stamps, a special imperforate miniature sheet (which was also an adult entry ticket to visit Blue Water Black Magic – A Tribute to Sir Peter Blake at the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum), a stamp first day cover and commentary on Peter Blake by the voice of yachting Peter Montgomery. | $29.50 |
 |
Limited Edition | Written by Bob Fisher, a noted yachtsman and yachting journalist, this individually numbered and authenticated set included a souvenir first day cover signed by Bob Fisher, colour separations of the $2.80 stamp, and a unique, numbered miniature sheet and stamp set. Only 2,000 produced. | $135.00 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 25 November 2009 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Five gummed stamps |
| Denominations: | 50c, $1.00, $1.80, $2.30, $2.80 |
| Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed by: | Cue Design, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print Ltd by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours, plus silver (PMS 877) |
| 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: | 13.33 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 24 November 2010. |