New Zealand 2006 Un-Issued Maori "Kapa Haka" issue:

STOP PRESS - I believe I am the first stamp dealer in the world, outside of New Zealand to offer this item.

 

The un-issued 45¢ "Poi" Maori dancer self-adhesive booklet stamp.  I had ten (10) copies of this stamp - and that is it.  Most of those are now sold.  For more reading on the background to these, please first peruse the unfolding and totally fascinating story on these stamps:   http://www.glenstephens.com/snseptember06.html   http://www.glenstephens.com/snoctober06.html   http://www.glenstephens.com/snnovember06.html

This was an issue the Post Office chose not to release - just 3 days before issue date.  However the NZ Post Office had mailed out 11 booklets of 10 of these stamps.  A few lucky collectors got them, and mostly offered them for sale.   A large % of them have already been sold to collectors, nearly all as singles I understand.   A maximum 110 mint stamps can exist, but the real number is less than that.  One lucky recipient of one booklet was NEVER notified by NZ Post there was anything amiss with these stamps.  He ordered a booklet of 10 x 45¢,  4 x $2, and a mint set of 5.  I am offering about 10% of the world supply via this ad.  He used one of the $2's on a letter to Edinburgh, and half the booklet of 45¢ letter rate stamps to pay local bills.  Then he saw media reports the stamps were possibly scarce, and via a Google search, found my article.  (If you search for "Maori Kapa Haka stamps" - my column is the No #1 Google match.)  Check your kiloware - a postally used copy would be worth easily $3,000 in my view.  It does prove 2 things - (1) that some of these stamps were most certainly postally used in good faith, and (2) NZ Post did NOT contact all eight lucky recipients - as they have claimed.  See my October article - another recipient assures me she received no request at any time, from any source, to return her purchase.    These eight customers ordered these stamps in the normal way as new issues, at face value.  They were mailed the stamps by NZ Post, their credit cards were charged in full, and at least one started using them on normal commercial mail.   Some never received any advice these were other than a normal new issue.  There is no question whatever these stamps are 100% legally in the market.  NZ Post does not dispute that.    I feel it can be strongly argued these stamps should be accorded catalogue status.  See the Len Jury catalogue front cover below - that is already occurring.  The existence of these postally used copies was reported to me, and me alone I understand, from someone who was shown my article early in the piece.  I was emailed by the owner August 31 2006 when in Libya. It changed the picture on these stamps and their status entirely in my view.  Sets of 5 are selling in New Zealand for $16,000.  A First Day Cover costs $24,000.  (And already 3 are sold at that price.)  This self adhesive can be directly compared in price and scarcity to the 1996 40¢ letter rate "Teddy Bear" self-adhesive stamps.  Scott Catalogue states there were about 500 of those known to have been sold in self-adhesive, and they still sell for $3,000-$4,000 each when offered in NZ.   A decade on, their price has remained rock solid.  There were a LOT more of them sold than this stamp.  Yet look what their retail price has settled at.  Another VERY valid comparison is the 1906 1d Christchurch CLARET colour (SG #371a) - also un-issued generally.  MUH copies of those have sold for up to $NZ22,500 at auction, yet a couple of sheets of these were issued - 100% of them to collectors -  an almost identical number to these 45¢ stamps I am offering.  That is TEN times my price figure on these new errors.  In fact MORE 1d clarets exist than the stamp I am offering!    Several dealers had examples of these "Kapa Haka" stamps for sale at "Kiwipex 2006" on November 2-5 2006 held in the Christchurch Convention Centre.  And prices will rise even further after that show.  This is exactly 100 years to the day of the opening of the famous 1906 Christchurch Exhibition.   I had just ten (10) copies of this 45¢ letter rate self-adhesive booklet stamp.  I understand there is one booklet to be broken up now and they are all off the market.  DO act fast on this.  You will get just one shot at it, at this price.  I had not bought or sold or owned any stamps in this series until these ten, purchased October 12.   Price is $A2,275 a single 45¢ self-adhesive neatly cut from the block   or $A4,475  a horizontal pair, which looks terrific   or $A8,750 a block of 4 - if a block is still intact of course when you order!    (A block of 4 is a booklet pane - each booklet has 2 panes of 4, and a pair.)     Or a complete booklet of 10 for $A22,500   Lay-By is fine as always - we can arrange a schedule of payments over several months to suit your budgeting.  These price figures are in line with (or lower than) NZ retail which is getting higher each month as supply rapidly shrinks, and news of their existence slowly spreads overseas.  And the NZ dollar has strengthened a lot against $A in recent months.   If you buy them off me you avoid a certain 10% GST impost upon arrival as a highly insured item, and the nasty new 3-4% "currency surcharge" plus bad exchange rate your credit card bank will certainly levy.     (I also have several full sets of 5 for sale MUH at $A13,500 a set - see photos and detail below.)           SET OF 5 ALSO AVAILABLE:  Below are low rez pix of two values in the plate blocks of 6 of each value that I am breaking up.  Only 6 plate blocks of 6 exist worldwide.  As you can see the most visually attractive single set is the one with the 4 Maori symbol colour bars on LH margin.  For the first person to order, you will get the set of 5 - all with this pretty colour bar - at NO extra cost.  Only 6 such sets can exist.  Ditto the corner copies.   Set of 5 - $A13,500   MUH pairs - your choice of positions -  $A26,000   Set 5, in Plate blocks 6 as shown - $A75,000

Single stamps available, from a set I busted up to remove the 45¢ gummed.  $A3,000 per single stamp.

 

The Unique Kapa Haka $2 top value with bar code.   In late 2006 I bought from Bernard in Auckland his remaining 5 x 45¢ booklet stamps and his 3 x $2 top value "Haka". He is the only other person to get an individual supply of these $2 stamps.  He ordered and got a set of 5 mint which he is keeping for his collection. He also got a booklet of 10 x 45c to use on local mail, and a block of 4 x $2 as he often writes to his mother and others in the UK.   Despite the written claim by NZPO to the contrary, he was not contacted at ANY time by NZPO to return them, as I understand all they have is a PO Box address for him.   He contacted me way back in August - long before most folks even knew these stamps were out there.  And way before any had been offered at Auction or on websites etc.  He initially wrote saying:  "I have been a collector for over 40 years but have never sold any stamps or even been to a stamp auction."   He said he had used 4 of the 45c stamps soon after he got them to mail bills, and these will have Auckland postmarks, and one may well turn up in kiloware with any luck.  I imagine that is a $5,000 stamp - minimum, if one does.  He placed another one on an envelope but did not address it.  This was recently sold to a well known collector "WH" in Dunedin.  He also used one $2 to frank a letter to the UK.   Bernard then saw a media report that the stamps were being withdrawn and might have value.  After my first article appeared he found me via a Google search, and thus emailed me in August.     He ordered these stamps from the PO, received them, was charged for them, and started using them on mail.  With NO advice whatever from NZPO at any time of anything amiss.  In my mind there is no doubt that should ensure normal catalogue listing.  An unusual case to be sure, but a genuine one.   There is no question in my mind this chap has always been telling the truth on this matter.  He tells me he discovered this week his father-in-law is a friend of Warwick Paterson of Campbell Paterson Ltd, and Bernard says he has spoken to Warwick about these stamps. In late 2006 I bought his 5 x mint booklet stamps, and his 3 x $2 stamps. The 45¢ booklet stamps have been selling well anyway, and these are from the only one booklet outside the main 86% source in Hamilton.  I understand the Hamilton source is now breaking up booklet 7 of the ten he received, and the owner says he wanted to keep 2 booklets aside.  So clearly booklet stamps are nearly all sold.  When they are sold out, prices will rise from today's level, there is no doubt about it.  At $2,275 they are at a comfortable entry level price for most collectors.  Sets at $A13,500 are a tougher ask. One complete booklet was offered for $25,000 at "KiwiPex 2006" in Christchurch in November 2006.   I had a large front and inner page feature article on this Kapa Haka issue in "Linns Stamp News"  issue of November 26, 2006 which sells about 50,000 copies each edition.  I think it is fair to say most American collectors and dealers were nearly totally unaware of this issue to this point.  Even 20 new collectors seeking these will place upward pressure on prices. My several Linn's articles about the "Teddy Bears" attracted strong offshore buying and interest, and has probably ensured the world vibe stayed strong - even now, 10 years on. The corner block of 4 of the $2 Haka stamp is most unusual.  The $2 is by far the most striking design of the set, and it is the top value.  The block of 4 was unique - in that all other gummed issues were in full sets of 5 - about 40 of them.  Nearly all of them - 36 sets, were sold in 6 x SE corner plate blocks of 6.  Retail is $16,000 a set of 5. My 3 stamps were from the TOP LEFT corner block as you can see.  No other stamps of any value are identifiable as being from this position.  Hence the top LH corner single, and the barcode single are both unique, and not found on any other value. Indeed the 3rd single is LH marginal and that also is unique as the plate block stamps do not have plain white margins. (Plate blocks of 6 are horizontal - 2 rows of 3.  The left hand margin on the top stamp has colour bars.  The corner stamp has printer imprint on left margin.) For any serious collector or exhibitor of New Zealand stamps this top left pair is probably the most significant and eye-catching philatelic piece from New Zealand since the War.  Not only is it unique, but it comes from the same block that actually saw its neighbour do real postal service to the UK. I think my prices are very reasonable, as sets of 5 are $16,000 right now - or $3,200 each.  My profit margin on these is VERY modest.  And 'Lay-By/Layaway' is fine as always - we can arrange a schedule of payments over several months to suit your budgeting. A unique bar-code corner pair from the most talked about New Zealand New Issue for years.  No other value can exist in ANY of the following formats.  Two copies are sold already and I have just ONE left - be quick for this! -     STOP PRESS - all copies were sold out by Mid January 2007.

 

Prices on the 3 x UNIQUE $2 Haka top values are:   A.  The UNIQUE plain selvedge LH margin copy - $A2,950   SOLD   B.  The UNIQUE top left hand corner single - $3,100   SOLD C.  The UNIQUE barcode margin copy - $A3,350  SOLD   (Single stamps available - including the $2 value - from a set I busted up to remove the 45¢ gummed.  Price $A3,000 per single stamp. ) Single stamps available, from a set I busted up to remove the 45¢ gummed. $A3,000 per single stamp.

This leading NZ 2007 Colour Stamp Catalogue has this historic Kapa Haka Maori Error on the front cover. A set of 5 sold at auction for $14,900 on a $13,500 estimate.