HOME > STAMP SITES > NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT COVERS > THE STAMPS
Here are the airmail stamps used on the covers - to 1940 only.
1931
Design L.C. Mitchell.
This issue appeared just in time for the November 1931 Christmas mail from Sydney to London organised by Australian National Airlines.Internal mail flights were flown to Auckland on November 12th and 13th and the mail went onwards by sea to Sydney. The stamps were subsequently mostly used for internal mail.
The 5d value was added as the standard postal rate was 2d plus a 3d surcharge for internal airmail.
3d chocolate
10 November
4d blackish purple
10 November
7d brown-orange
10 November
5d, overprint on 3d green
18 December
(The 3d was never issued in green without the overprint) This is the only New Zealand stamp overprint which did not obliterate and previous value and the only one to spell out the new value rather than give it in figures.
1934 17th January.
Over printed specially for the first trans-Tasman airmail flight.
An essay for the stamps was prepared by Ulm. This is one of only two New Zealand stamp issues with a special purpose commemorative overprint, the other is the 1913 Auckland Exhibition overprints on the Edward VII definitives.
The number issued was 83,079, of which approximately 40,000 were used on flight covers. This is a rare stamp used on anything other than these covers.
7d light blue, overprinted "Trans-Tasman Air Mail "Faith in Australia"
(The 7d was never issued in light blue without the overprint)
1935 4th May.
Design J. Berry. The aircraft is a De Havilland DH84 Dragon, which was one of the aircraft on which the first economic scheduled airline services were started in New Zealand.
To date New Zealand has issued no more recent airmail stamps.
1d carmine
3d violet
6d blue
1938 26th July. Design W.J. Cooch.
This stamp was issued subsequent to the other like definitives and was specifically for the 1½d Empire Air Mail Scheme ½ oz. minimum rate. The design differed from the others in the series in having the value stated only once. The scheme did not survive the start of the war and these stamps were subsequently surcharged 2d."Official" overprints were made of this stamp but as it was not a standard internal rate they are quite rare stamps.
It was reissued in 1944 but in scarlet and was not for airmail, but a standard surface rate.
First Day Cover
(Thumbnail)
1½d brown 
The 1½d value in the 1940 Centennial set was for the Empire Air Mail Scheme, but it was too late for that use. It was subsequently overprinted as 10d (1944), to use up the stock.
1929
3d green
1931
The design was an adaptation of a commemorative series issued to commemorate Kingsford-Smith's flights. The aircraft is of course the Southern Cross
6d sepia.
Only those used on South Pacific covers are shown here.
1926 10c dark blue 1930
5c violet
1931
8c olive bistre
1934
6c orange
1935
Trans Pacific issue. The aircraft is the Martin 130 which did not feature in South Pacific flights to New Zealand. Only three were built and they were used on the US - China service.
25c blue
1937
Without the date.
20c green
1937
Without the date.
50c carmine
1938
6c blue and carmine
NEW CALEDONIA AIRMAIL STAMPS
Set Scott C1 - C6 Breguet 530 Saigon
Page author: G Law
May 24, 2004
