This newsletter follows the 27 September 2025 NZPF executive meeting.

Philately in the news

This subject can be a two edged sword in that not all publicity is good news. However, on balance, I do believe that our hobby needs to be talked about. So, I was pleased to see in the 16th August edition of the Listener, a well- balanced article on hobbies. Entitled “Hot Pursuits” and written by Paul Little, this article examines how hobbies are thriving in the digital age and this includes philately.

Several members have sent me a link to the Stuff news report on the piece entitled “Forged postage stamps: seller must refund collectors $234,000”. Our friends in the NZ Stamp Dealers Association assisted on this case and last year helped removing the perpetrator Jaques Preiss from Trade Me (trading as Aussiegirl23). Much of the fake material was Italian States, German WWII occupation issues, Italian airmail and WWII overprints and dodgy overprint material in general.

As this newsletter goes to press, we now know the results from Mowbray’s latest auction that had a serious amount of ‘special’ material. This is probably a good weathervane for the health of the hobby where good material continues to realise good results.

UPU material

We have now concluded the sale of the UPU material so kindly gifted by NZ Post last year. The funds have been transferred to the New Zealand National Philatelic Trust (NZNPT). We ask societies to apply to NZPT for financial assistance towards projects they may have. In recent communication from the Federation Secretary, Jeff Long, there was a list of projects the Trust has provided support for in the past to give your society ideas of what they can ask for funding for. I repeat it here. The list is not exhaustive, and applications may be approved in whole or in part, or declined:

  • Combined area meetings for venue hire/speaker travel expenses etc. – e.g. Northern societies meetings in Whangarei, Wellington Regional Stamp Show
  • Refurbishment of frames – small number now that societies maintain. NZPF frames refurbishment.
  • NZ literature exhibitions – assisted in the past – no request for 2025 exhibition as yet.
  • Building projects – new club rooms/ storage facilities.
  • Refurbishment/betterment of club rooms which societies already own e.g. Marlborough
  • Societies – expenses towards initial establishment of a website – no request received for this aspect.
  • Digitization journals etc. for society websites to disseminate knowledge to philatelic communities.
  • PJNZ – assistance with venue hire etc. for annual seminar – though there is a seminar fund within PJNZ for this. NZNPT has in the past topped up this account and possibly will need to do so in the near future. (Education aspects can be funded by application to NZPF education fund).
  • Then there are the payments to NZ Commissioners/judges towards travel expenses to international exhibitions. This has been reviewed recently and is now up to $200 (on provision of travel insurance receipt) to all countries and multiple times/year for individuals.
  • $3,000 initial funding loan to societies planning exhibition for expenses in early stages before fund raising commences.

New Zealand Philatelic Icon Sold

The following piece was the lead article in the Christchurch PS Captain Coqk newsletter, and I include it here verbatim. My thanks go to the author and CPS for allowing me to use it.
A high point in New Zealand philately was achieved on Saturday, September 20 when what is considered New Zealand’s rarest stamp sold for $225,000. This was a record price for a single New Zealand or Australasian philatelic item.
There was plenty of interest in the auction with many collectors coming along just to see history being made and there was a full room to witness the event. It also attracted interest from the media with TV1 doing a lengthy piece on the 6 o’clock news.
Prior to the auction, there was a general feeling in the industry that the stamp would sell, but at what price? The auction opened at 11:30 with John giving a brief account of the stamp’s provenance, both for the room and the anticipated TV audience, before opening the bidding.
There was some tension in the room as there was a short delay before the first, and only bid, came through. David Gault raised his bidding card with a bid from a buyer participating in the auction via a phone.
After a further delay, the lot was knocked down for $225,000 plus commission to the overseas based bidder. While there was only one bid on the lot, the sale was made. There was a tinge of sadness accompanying the sale. After the lot was knocked down, John handed rest of the auction over to Liam Jennings and David Galt to call and going out on a high note, announced he would be retiring from the role of auctioneer. What a way to bow out after best part of 60 years in the role!!
In the 1970s, I recall going with many other collectors to Turnbull House in Wellington to participate in the public auctions John was running then. The economics of this proved unsustainable and John turned his focus on postal auctions, and it wasn’t until 1994 with the start of the Stanley Gibbons relationship, that John resumed the auctions. This time on an annual basis and focusing on the offering of higher end material. Along with the chance to buy, it provides an opportunity to catch up with other collectors that live out of town. While time and the advent of online bidding have reduced numbers in the room, Mowbray’s auctions are still something to be looked forward to. Thanks, John, for all you have done to provide these opportunities.
Stephen Jones

Federation Awards 2025

As promised in the last newsletter, some more deserving awardees. When compiling these award photos I thought I’d include a precis citation for each but I found it took up a lot of precious space. All I can say is that most (if not all) of the good people featured here have spent a lifetime in organised philately and thoroughly deserve the recognition we can give them. You have all served organised philately in an outstanding way.

At the Royal Philatelic Society of NZ (RPSNZ) meeting of the 9 July 2025, Richard Bloxham, editor of the RPSNZ’s New Zealand Stamp Collector and Royal Lines publications was presented with the Award of Merit by Paul McTaggart one of the NZPF Central Region delegates.

 

Colin Dyer (R), Central Region Rep., presenting Michael Christensen with his Award of Merit at a recent Horowhenua Society meeting (Right).

 

 

Paul McTaggart (left) has been presented with the Award of Merit in recognition his outstanding work for the promotion, organisation and administration of stamp collecting in NZ. The Hutt Valley PS nominated Paul for this award presented at the September meeting of HVPS by NZPF immediate past president Stephen Chivers.

 

Tim Beach (previously a Northern delegate to NZPF) presenting Samantha Rowe (left) with her certificate and trophy for Youth Philatelist of the Year 2025.

 

 

Tim Beach presenting a certificate (the wrong one as it happens!) to Denise Rosenfeldt for the Award of Merit. Presented recently at the Auckland PS Stamps & Hobbies Expo.


It looks like a happy church service but I am reliably told it was at the recent NZ Postcard Society AGM & Postcard Fair in Wellington. I digress. Centre stage, dressed in red, Jenny Long with her brand-new NZ Medal of Philatelic Excellence. She is in esteemed company. Bottom row (L to R) Jenny Banfield, Jenny Long, Sue Vernall. Top row (L to R) Jeff Long, Lindsay Chitty, Norman Banfield.

 

 

 

Society competitions

I am pleased to report the widespread adoption and use of the one frame marking/judging/feedback sheet. I know that both North Shore PS and Auckland PS used it at their recent exhibitions. Feedback has been given to Philatelic Judges New Zealand for consideration.

I can also report that I personally used the One Page judging sheet at the recent club interchange between Marlborough and Nelson. As NZPF delegate Josh Black reported “The Marlborough Stamp Collectors Club yearly programme has carried on and we had the annual Nelson/Marlborough club day which was good with over 20 members turning out. We trialled the 1-page competition which had 17 entries – everyone participated in the judging with mixed teams to offset any bias. It was a lot of fun with a serious side with everyone involved enjoying the experience. Nelson won the competition but with people now knowing what to expect I think next year will be even better.”

Website update

You will recall that in newsletter number 92, I reported that a group would be investigating further how we could give the Federation website a new look. The was endorsed at our September meeting and a budget assigned to it. Watch this space for further news.

FIP Commission delegates

We are members of both the continental Federation (FIAP) and the international Federation FIP. This enables our club members to participate on the international stage, both as exhibitors and as members of various commissions. The FIP has commissions for most exhibiting classes. More info here: https://nzpf.org.nz/about-us/international-involvement/fip/fip-commissions-nz-delegates/

One thing we have been trying to do is connect exhibitors with FIP commission delegates. This enables exhibitors to keep abreast of developments as and when they happen, seek advice from delegates and generally get help when needed. Here is a list of delegates. On the NZPF website and this newsletter, if you click on the hyperlink for the class it will take you to the relevant FIP commission website.
Aerophilately – Robert Duns
Astrophilately – Brian Vincent
Fight Against Forgeries – Colin Capill
Literature – Ross Marshall
Maximaphily – Bob Gibson
Open Philately – Lindsay Chitty
Youth – Denise Rosenfeldt
Picture Postcards – Jeff Long
Postal History – Mark Benvie
Postal Stationery – Stephen Chivers
Revenues – Michael Chong
Thematics – Bob Gibson
Traditional – David Loe

I just want to mention here that Tony Thackery is currently on the FIP working group for First Day Covers. As some of you will be aware, First Day of Issue or Earliest Known Date is something that Tony has long held dear. Off the top of my head there are currently national classes for FDCs in NZ, Australia, China and the USA. The working group has drawn up draft FIP Guidelines for the FDCs that will be tested in a FDC experimental class Boston in May next year. Perhaps we are on our way to a new FIP class.

Here is an updated list of delegates. Jenny and Norman Banfield have stepped down from the various delegate positions they held and there have been a number of new appointees. We thank Jenny and Norman for the huge amount of work they did for the various FIP commissions, work that for the most part was unseen here in New Zealand.

Philatelic dates for 2025/6

  • 18 October 2025 “Collecting History” exhibition and fair. The Granary, Founders Park, Nelson. Hosted by Nelson PS.
  • 18 October 2025 Ambury Shield organised by Waikato PS Fairfield Baptist Church Hall, 1101 Heaphy Terrace, Hamilton.
  • Ausvipex 2025, https://ausvipex2025.com/ 27 Nov 2025 to 28 Feb 2026. Virtual Stamp Exhibition, Australia. Go to the link to view exhibits. While an Australian exhibition it has international entries and two of our judges are taking part in the judging: Bob Gibson and Denise Rosenfeldt.
  • 19th NZ National Philatelic Literature Exhibition organised by the Christchurch PS. Saturday 6 December at the CPS rooms, Mandeville St., Christchurch. Stamp Fair and literature exhibition on the same day. Entries closed 29 September 2025
  • Central Philatelic Convention and Expo 18 April 2026 in Palmerston North including a One Page competition (poster shown in Society Competitions above)
  • The next National Philatelic Exhibition to be held in Australia will be hosted by Queensland and be staged at the Chandler Sports Centre, Brisbane 13 – 16 August 2026. The website is https://qpc.org.au/Queensland2026/. The NZ commissioner is Ross Marshall [email protected] and the closing date for entries is 31 May 2026.
  • Having won the 2025 New Zealand Interclub One Frame Competition, the Airmail Society of NZ will be hosting the event in 2026. Venue and timing in Christchurch yet to be announced.

International events with New Zealand participation including contact details for the appointed commissioners can be found here: https://nzpf.org.nz/exhibitions/ Go to the page on the Federation website to connect to the relevant exhibition website and the commissioner name to connect directly to the commissioner. Sometimes entry deadlines get extended and the commissioner will be able to give you the latest information.

Society Pages on NZPF website

Bob Gibson tries to keep all society listings up to date but can’t do that without your input please. Review your pages and keep Bob informed – [email protected] Over the last quarter the NZPF website had 1900 visitors and 4100 views. Society pages are the most often visited on the Federation website.

Connection with Society members

Club secretaries – please forward this to your membership – I try to make sure the content is relevant.
Comments and inclusions for future newsletters welcome please.

Federation Meeting dates for 2025

Executive meeting (by zoom) 13th November
AGM (by zoom) 13th December

David Loe, Nelson. President.