Stamp Investment Tip: Samoa 1920 Victory Overprint (Scott #136-41)

   Samoa, an archipelago in the South Pacific, is interesting from a philatelic perspective, because it has issued stamps as an independent kingdom, a partially German colony, under New Zealand's administration, and as an independent state.

   Early in World War I, the islands under German domination were occupied by New Zealand troops, and stamps of New Zealand were overprinted for use in Samoa. In 1920, a Victory set was issued (Scott #136-41), by overprinting 30,000 of the New Zealand Victory sets (Scott #165-70). Scott '13 prices the unused set at $38.50.  Though I sometimes recommend expertization of scarce overprints, it's unnecessary in this case because the stamps are inexpensive and the basic New Zealand set is actually worth more than the overprinted one.

   While Samoa's population of just under 200,000 is probably too low to sustain a significant community of stamp collectors, the stamps issued during the kingdom period and as part of the British Commonwealth appeal to British Commonwealth collectors and collectors in New Zealand.

Those interested in viewing a list of scarce stamps with printing quantities of 100,000 or fewer may wish to view the StampSelector Scarce Stamp Quantities Issued List, which currently contains over 9,700 entries. Researching quantities issued data is vital to determining in which stamps to invest.

Stamp Investment Tip: New Zealand 1946-47 Life Insurance Stamps (Scott #OY24-28)

  New Zealand began issuing stamps for use by its  Government Life Insurance Department in 1891.  From 1946 to '47, New Zealand issued a set of five Life Insurance Stamps (Scott #OY24-28), utilizing the same Lighthouse common design that had been used in its earlier 1905-32 set (Scott #OY10-23). 13,800 of the were issued, and Scott '13 prices the unused set at $ 24.55 ($42.50 for NH)  .           

All of the early New Zealand Life Insurance sets are scarce and undervalued - possibly because they are neglected as obscure back-of-book issues.

New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world. The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealanders aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

I've begun a new blog, "The Stamp Specialist", which features wholesale buy prices for stamps which I am interested in purchasing, as well as links to other dealers' buy lists. Viewing dealers' buy lists every now and then is an excellent way to keep current on the vagaries of the stamp market.

Stamp Investment Tip: Cook Islands 1932-46 Scenes sets

Between 1932 and '46, New Zealand issued three similar Scenes sets for its dependency, the Cook Islands. I've listed these sets, along with printing quantity information and Scott '13 values for unused, below:

-1932 Scenes, Perf. 13, unwatermarked (Scott #84-90; 30,000 issued: Scott '13 CV = $63.25 )

- 1933-36 Scenes, Perf. 14, Wmk. 61 (Scott #91-97; 37,760 issued; Scott '13 CV = $ 37.45)

- 1944-46 Scenes, Perf. 14, diff. denominations and colors (Scott #116-24; 79,120 issued; Scott '13 CV= $ 61.00; $100.00 NH)

All of these attractive sets should do well based on their appeal to British Commonwealth collectors and demand from New Zealand.

While the population of the Cook Islands (about 20,000) is probably too low to sustain much of a stamp collecting population, there is significant demand for its stamps among collectors of British Commonwealth in general and in New Zealand in particular, because the islands were a dependency of New Zealand for many years, and still have strong links to that nation.


New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world. The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealanders aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

Stamp Investment Tip: Cook Islands 1919 Maori Surcharge (Scott #48-60)

In 1919, New Zealand surcharged thirteen stamps of its 1909-19 issues for use in its dependency, the Cook Islands (Scott #48-60). To facilitate use of the stamps by the native islanders, the surcharge utilized Cook Islands Maori language, also known as Rarotongan, or Te reo Ipukarea, literally "the language of the Ancestral Homeland." The set is commonly known as the "Polynesian Surcharge Issue", although this is imprecise, since there are some 40 Polynesian languages. 20,000 sets were issued, and Scott '12 prices it unused at $27.90.

The engraved stamps of this set (Scott #53-57, 59-60) were produced with two different perf. sizes per sheet, perf. 14X14 1/2 and 14 x 13 1/2, and pairs and blocks of four containing examples with both perf sizes are desirable.

The set should do well based on their appeal to British Commonwealth collectors and demand from New Zealand.

While the population of the Cook Islands (about 20,000) is probably too low to sustain much of a stamp collecting population, there is significant demand for its stamps among collectors of British Commonwealth in general and in New Zealand in particular, because the islands were a dependency of New Zealand for many years, and still have strong links to that nation.

New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world. The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealanders aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

Stamp Investment Tip: Penrhyn Island 1903 Overprint (Scott #10-12)

In 1903, New Zealand overprinted three stamps picturing birds from its 1898 Issue in thee for use on Penrhyn Island, one of its dependencies
(Scott #10-12). The overprint utilized the local Cook Islands Maori language, to facilitate use by the 395 natives who lived on the island. Penrhyn Island later was administered as one of the Cook Islands, which attained full independence in 1973.

13,800 sets were issued, and Scott '11 prices the unused set at $91.50.

It might seem reasonable to wonder why StampSelector would recommend issues from obscure islands in the South Pacific that have small populations and about which few people even know.
Generally, I am recommending these issues based on their low printings increasing external demand. Aside from the growth in interest among British Commonwealth collectors, many of these islands were once dependencies of either Australia or New Zealand, which issued stamps for them, and philatelists in these countries consider them as similar to former colonies.

Hence, the primary sources of demand for the stamps of Penrhyn Island will not be found among the few hundred Penrhyn Islanders or the 20,000 or so Cook Islanders, but in New Zealand and among the collectors of British Commonwealth worldwide.

New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world. The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealanders aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

Stamp Investment Tip: New Zealand 1934 "Faith in Australia" Airmail (Scott #C5)

In 1934, New Zealand issued an overprinted airmail stamp celebrating the first official air mail flight between New Zealand and Australia. 83,078 stamps were issued, and Scott '11 values the unused stamp at $50.- and the used stamp at $55.-.

I view the stamp as an attractive investment because it has multiple market appeal to collectors of New Zealand, Australia, British Commonwealth, and Aviation topicalists. Many of the stamps that were used may be found on Flight covers, which are also desirable.


New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world.


Stamps of New Zealand are collected both domestically and by British Commonwealth collectors worldwide . The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealander's aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

Phila-Trivia: When Travesty Turns to Treasure

In 2006, New Zealand attempted to celebrate Maori culture with a set of stamps featuring Maori dancers and honoring the "Kapa haka" ritual performance, which combines choral singing, dancing, and martial arts.

Ironically, the proposed stamp designs met with intense opposition from prominent members of the Maori community, which viewed them as being in bad taste, and said that the cartoon-type characters were culturally insensitive and ridiculed Maori. The designs were called "cheap, ugly, stupid comic strips" which would make the Maori People the "laughing stock of the world."

New Zealand Post initially defended the cartoon designs, arguing that they were "fresh and contemporary", but it relented in the face of mounting opposition, and destroyed approximately a million of the stamps. It also promised that it would create an issue that would honor Kapa haka at some point in the future, and that the Maori community would be widely consulted regarding any future stamps depicting them.

However, not all of the offending stamps were destroyed, as New Zealand Post's philatelic branch errantly mailed several hundred of them to stamp collectors who had ordered them in advance. A few first day covers were produced and sold, and a few were used as postage, so it is possible that some might one day be found in packets or dealers' penny boxes.

The five stamps are noted but not priced in Scott, and currently sell for between $10,000 and $15,000 per set. Once hated, they are now prized.

Stamp Investment Tip: New Zealand 1912 1/2p VICTORIA LAND Overprint (Scott #130d)

One of the most tragic episodes in the history of Antarctic exploration was the Terra Nova Expedition headed by Royal Navy Captain Robert Falcon Scott. Scott's party reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912, only to find that they had been preceded by Roald Amundsen's Norwegian Expedition. On their return journey, Scott and his four comrades all perished from a combination of exhaustion, starvation and extreme cold.

Initially, 1p stamps of New Zealand were overprinted for use by the Expedition, as they had been for Shackleton's earlier 1908 Expedition. However, since the postage to certain countries was 2 1/2p, 2,400 1/2p Yellow Green stamps were also overprinted "VICTORIA LAND" (Scott #130d), making this the scarcest of all of the New Zealand Antarctic Expedition overprints. Scott values it unused at $ 1,100.00 and used at $ 950.00. Covers are rare.

The stamp appeals to both collectors of New Zealand and Antarctic topicals. As it's an overprint, it should be purchased conditional on obtaining expertization.

Stamps of New Zealand are collected both domestically and by British Commonwealth collectors worldwide . The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealander's aged 60 and over is projected to rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

Those interested in finding a community of stamp investors, dealers, and collectors are welcome to join the "Stampselectors" group at Facebook. The group provides a useful venue for those who wish to buy, sell, and trade stamps, and discuss philatelic investing and practical aspects of stamp collecting.

Phila-Trivia: New Zealand's Dangerous Teddy Bear

In 1996, New Zealand issued a two Children's Health Semi-postal stamps of the same design, picturing a child sitting in a vehicle holding a Teddy Bear (Scott #B154, B155). Unfortunately, the inclusion of the stuffed animal facing forwards indicated that the infant was improperly buckled in, rendering the stamp "dangerous" because of its potential influence. In New Zealand ,the law states that child car safety seats must face backwards - not forwards. The withdrawn design clearly shows the seat-belted Teddy Bear, hence the child capsule is also pointing forward, contravening New Zealand's child safety rules.


All but approximately 1,000 copies of #B154 and 500 of #B155 (the self-adhesive version) were withdrawn by the New Zealand Post, which then issued a new stamp (Scott #B151), picturing the child properly buckled in, sans Teddy Bear. Scott '10 values the perforated, gummed error stamp at $1,000.00 and the self-adhesive error at $1,750.00, making these not merely the most dangerous and illegal Teddy Bears ever created, but also the most expensive.


Incidentally, I believe these particular stamps will do more than "hold their stuffing" over time as investments. Teddy Bears on stamps have topical appeal, partly on their own and partly as a subgroup of Animal Topical collecting.


New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world. Stamps of New Zealand are collected both domestically and by British Commonwealth collectors worldwide . The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealander's aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

Stamp Investment Tip: New Zealand 1931 Airmails (C1-3)

In 1931, New Zealand issued its first airmail stamps, a nice typographed set picturing a plane over Lake Manapouri (Scott #C1-3). 50,000 sets were issued, and Scott '10 values it at $ 85.00 unused.

New Zealand is a modern, prosperous nation of about 4.3 million people, with a GDP of $115 billion. Over the last 10 years, annual GDP growth has averaged about 3%. The economy was hurt by the recent global financial crisis, and is beginning to recover. In 2005, the World Bank praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly nation in the world.

Stamps of New Zealand are collected both domestically and by British Commonwealth collectors worldwide . The nation has a stamp collecting demographic similar to Great Britain's, and the demand for better material should increase dramatically as population aging accelerates. The percentage of New Zealander's aged 60 and over will rise from 18% in 2009 to 29% in 2050.

When purchasing this set, keep in mind that a scarce Perf. 14X15 variety exists of the 3p Chocolate (Scott C1a; Scott '10 Cat. Value of $ unused, used). A flight cover bearing the variety would be a real find, especially if the seller's valued it as the normal stamp.

Phila-Trivia: The Pigeon Post of Great Barrier Island

Many modern city-dwellers are accustomed to thinking of pigeons as filthy nuisances- "rats with wings"- but the birds have played their part as useful messengers since the time of the Romans.

A pigeon postal service was established between Great Barrier Island, an isolated community 90 kilometers north east of Auckland, New Zealand, and the mainland in 1897. Formerly, postal service had been provided by a weekly coastal steamer, but treacherous seas wrecked the ship SS Wairarapa off the coast of Great Barrier Island in 1894, with the loss of 121 lives, leading to the establishment of two rival pigeongram companies, each of which issued stamps. The birds were sent over to the island on the weekly steamer, and then flew back to Auckland with up to 5 small messages attached to each bird's legs. Great Barrier's pigeongram service ended when the first telegraph cable was laid between the island and the mainland in 1908.

Today, the pigeongram stamps are eagerly collected for their novelty value, and some have become extremely valuable.

New Zealand 1997 Pigeon-Gram Centenary Commemoratives