NEW ZEALAND - 2023 1873 Newspaper Stamp Mint Miniature Sheet

2023 NEW ZEALAND

2023 1873 Newspaper Stamp Mint Miniature Sheet

In December of 1864, a 1d rate was imposed on the delivery of newspapers in New Zealand. Throughout the following decade, the rate was removed, replaced and changed several times, until finally rate of ½d was introduced on 1 January 1873. In conjunction with the reduction in price, a special newspaper stamp was issued for payment of this fee. 

This stamp was the first where the design, printing plate preparation and printing plates themselves were completed in New Zealand. The design was completed by John Davies, the Government Printer, who based his design on that of a contemporary English ½d stamp of Great Britain and had the side view of a young Queen Victoria’s head. Across the top are the words ‘New Zealand’, and down each side is the value, with the purpose, ‘Newspaper Postage’, written across the bottom. 

So that the stamp would be ready for issue in January 1873, 717,600 were printed in 1872. The stamps were surface printed in Wellington by the Government Printer.

The last printing was in 1892 and the stamp remained in use until 1895 when it was superseded by the ½d black 'Second Sideface' issue.

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