Health stamp
Encyclopedia
Health stamps are a long-running series of charity stamp issued by New Zealand
which include a premium for charitable causes in addition to the charge for postal service.
. The first health stamp was approved by the Government in October 1929, and issued on 11 December of that year. The stamp was sold for twopence, with a standard one penny postage rate being supplemented by one penny for health, which — at the Health Department's suggestion — was to be donated to Children's Health Camps. Health camps had been run in New Zealand since 1919, when Dr Elizabeth Gunn
ran a three-week camp for children at Turakina
near Wanganui
. The camps provided holiday relief for children with nutritional and minor physical problems. Children's health camps have continued to be the recipient of money from New Zealand health stamps from this time on; the country’s seven children's health camps (Te Puna Whaiora) are now managed by the New Zealand Foundation for Child and Family Health and Development.
The first health stamps with charitable surcharges were issued in 1929 and 1930, with similar designs featuring a nurse, inscribed "HELP STAMP OUT TUBERCULOSIS" and "HELP PROMOTE HEALTH" respectively. Though not simply inscribed "Health", these two issues are usually considered by collectors as being the first two health stamp issues, and are also considered as such by New Zealand Post. The first New Zealand stamps inscribed simply 'Health' were issued on 31 October 1931 in values of a penny and twopence, each with a one penny charitable surcharge.
Further health stamps were issued annually from 1931. The two 1931 stamps, known as the "Red boy" (1d) and "Blue boy" (2d) (or collectively as the "Laughing boy" stamps), sold poorly due to the hardships of the Great Depression
, and as such are scarce and highly prized by New Zealand collectors.
From 1932 one stamp (postage one penny, with a one penny surcharge) was issued annually until 1938; the 1939 issue featured two values, a 1d and a 2d. For several of these years, the health stamp was the only non-definitive stamp
issued by the New Zealand Post Office. Two values were issued every year from 1939 until 1973, with the exception of 1955, 1956, 1969, and 1971 when there were three values. Owing to wartime strictures, in 1940 and 1941, similar issues to 1939 were used, issued in different colours (both years) and overprint
ed with the year (1941 only). To add to the confusion of the issues of these years, the 1939 stamps were only issued with an overprint
ed surcharge
, as postage rates had increased shortly before the set was issued.
From 1973, three values became the norm, often with two lower value stamps of the same value issued as a se-tenant pair, with a third higher value stamp. In 1990, the issue reverted to two values, and most years since that time have had two or three values (the exceptions being in 2000 and 2006, with sets of six stamps issued). The 2009 issue of three stamps carried images from earlier issues to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of New Zealand health stamps.
From 1957, miniature sheet
s have been issued annually of New Zealand's health stamp issues. Initially these consisted of two separate sheets each containing six stamps of the same value, but since the 1970s one sheet has been issued annually containing the entire set of stamps. Self-adhesive stamps of the lowest value in each year's set have been issued most years since 1996, often in different designs to the gummed-sheet issue. charity surcharge on New Zealand health stamps is ten cents.
either sideways or upright, and the 1960 set is found with two different gauges of perforation, one of which came from the miniature sheets. Stamps from the 1977 miniature sheet feature slight design differences, notably the lack of a white border around the design.
The twopenny value of the 1949 health stamp features a notable, though not particularly rare, flaw, with some stamps issued with no dot below the "d" of the value. Far rarer is an incorrect design used for the 40 cent stamp in 1996, which featured a young child sitting in a car. This was withdrawn and replaced with a new design after it was noticed that the child was incorrectly restrained. Some copies of the first design found their way to post offices, both in standard and self-adhesive form; these stamps — known to collectors as the "teddy bear" stamps because of the prominent soft toy in the design — are now among New Zealand's rarest and most collectable stamps.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
which include a premium for charitable causes in addition to the charge for postal service.
History
The idea of issuing health stamps in New Zealand came from a 1926 request by Mr E Nielsen on behalf of his mother that special fundraising for deserving health projects, as were used in other countries such as DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The first health stamp was approved by the Government in October 1929, and issued on 11 December of that year. The stamp was sold for twopence, with a standard one penny postage rate being supplemented by one penny for health, which — at the Health Department's suggestion — was to be donated to Children's Health Camps. Health camps had been run in New Zealand since 1919, when Dr Elizabeth Gunn
Elizabeth Gunn (paediatrician)
Dr. Elizabeth Catherine Gunn was a pioneer in the field of children's health in New Zealand.Gunn was born in Dunedin, the daughter of an ironmonger whose interests in medicine led him to change career initially to pharmacy and then to dentistry. She attended Timaru and Otago Girls' High Schools,...
ran a three-week camp for children at Turakina
Turakina, New Zealand
Turakina is an old Māori settlement situated south of Whanganui city on the North Island of New Zealand. Turakina village derives its name from the Turakina River, which cut its passage to the sea from a spring on Mount Ruapehu. The original inhabitants of the area were the descendants of the Kahui...
near Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
. The camps provided holiday relief for children with nutritional and minor physical problems. Children's health camps have continued to be the recipient of money from New Zealand health stamps from this time on; the country’s seven children's health camps (Te Puna Whaiora) are now managed by the New Zealand Foundation for Child and Family Health and Development.
The first health stamps with charitable surcharges were issued in 1929 and 1930, with similar designs featuring a nurse, inscribed "HELP STAMP OUT TUBERCULOSIS" and "HELP PROMOTE HEALTH" respectively. Though not simply inscribed "Health", these two issues are usually considered by collectors as being the first two health stamp issues, and are also considered as such by New Zealand Post. The first New Zealand stamps inscribed simply 'Health' were issued on 31 October 1931 in values of a penny and twopence, each with a one penny charitable surcharge.
Further health stamps were issued annually from 1931. The two 1931 stamps, known as the "Red boy" (1d) and "Blue boy" (2d) (or collectively as the "Laughing boy" stamps), sold poorly due to the hardships of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and as such are scarce and highly prized by New Zealand collectors.
From 1932 one stamp (postage one penny, with a one penny surcharge) was issued annually until 1938; the 1939 issue featured two values, a 1d and a 2d. For several of these years, the health stamp was the only non-definitive stamp
Definitive stamp
A definitive stamp is a postage stamp, that is part of a regular issue of a country's stamps available for sale by the postal service for an extended period of time...
issued by the New Zealand Post Office. Two values were issued every year from 1939 until 1973, with the exception of 1955, 1956, 1969, and 1971 when there were three values. Owing to wartime strictures, in 1940 and 1941, similar issues to 1939 were used, issued in different colours (both years) and overprint
Overprint
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...
ed with the year (1941 only). To add to the confusion of the issues of these years, the 1939 stamps were only issued with an overprint
Overprint
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...
ed surcharge
Surcharge
A surcharge may mean:*an extra fee added onto another fee or charge** Fuel surcharge, sky freight charges which represents additions due to jet fuel prices.** Bunker adjustment factor, sea freight charges which represents additions due to oil prices....
, as postage rates had increased shortly before the set was issued.
From 1973, three values became the norm, often with two lower value stamps of the same value issued as a se-tenant pair, with a third higher value stamp. In 1990, the issue reverted to two values, and most years since that time have had two or three values (the exceptions being in 2000 and 2006, with sets of six stamps issued). The 2009 issue of three stamps carried images from earlier issues to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of New Zealand health stamps.
From 1957, miniature sheet
Miniature sheet
A souvenir sheet or miniature sheet is a small group of postage stamps still attached to the sheet on which they were printed. They may be either regular issues that just happen to be printed in small groups , or special issues often commemorating some event, such as a national anniversary,...
s have been issued annually of New Zealand's health stamp issues. Initially these consisted of two separate sheets each containing six stamps of the same value, but since the 1970s one sheet has been issued annually containing the entire set of stamps. Self-adhesive stamps of the lowest value in each year's set have been issued most years since 1996, often in different designs to the gummed-sheet issue. charity surcharge on New Zealand health stamps is ten cents.
Collectable varieties
Several of New Zealand's health stamps have notable varieties recognised by collectors. The 1957 set was issued with watermarkWatermark
A watermark is a recognizable image or pattern in paper that appears as various shades of lightness/darkness when viewed by transmitted light , caused by thickness or density variations in the paper...
either sideways or upright, and the 1960 set is found with two different gauges of perforation, one of which came from the miniature sheets. Stamps from the 1977 miniature sheet feature slight design differences, notably the lack of a white border around the design.
The twopenny value of the 1949 health stamp features a notable, though not particularly rare, flaw, with some stamps issued with no dot below the "d" of the value. Far rarer is an incorrect design used for the 40 cent stamp in 1996, which featured a young child sitting in a car. This was withdrawn and replaced with a new design after it was noticed that the child was incorrectly restrained. Some copies of the first design found their way to post offices, both in standard and self-adhesive form; these stamps — known to collectors as the "teddy bear" stamps because of the prominent soft toy in the design — are now among New Zealand's rarest and most collectable stamps.
External links
- 1966 Health stamp poster in the New Zealand national archives.
- New Zealand Post health stamp article, with links to images of all stamps.
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of New ZealandPostage stamps and postal history of New ZealandPostage stamps have been issued in New Zealand since around the 18th to 20th of July 1855 with the "Chalon head" stamps figuring Queen Victoria. The design was based on a full face portrait of the Queen in her state robes at the time of her coronation in 1837, by Alfred Edward Chalon...
- Charity stamp
- Semi-postal stamp