Sale of probably NZ's biggest stamp collection

Media release – December 20, 2006

Early Christmas present for Ashburton man after selling probably NZ’s biggest stamp collection

A retired Ashburton man has received an early Christmas present with the sale of his 900-volume stamp collection which is probably the biggest in New Zealand.

Listed stamp dealer Mowbray Collectables announced today they had just purchased the 900-volume collection from retired Ashburton joiner Ray Walkham.

Mowbrays said the collection had a catalogue value of more than $7 million and was probably the largest stamp collection in New Zealand.

``We are just so pleased to have purchased Ray’s stamp collection,’’ stamp dealer John Mowbray said today.

``It means Ray has an early Christmas present and we have a vast collection to add to our stocks.

``Ray has been collecting for almost 70 years and is well known to many as the postal sales officer of the NZ Postal History Society.’’

The collection is probably the largest in New Zealand and will be offered through our future auctions. It has a catalogue value of more than $7 million but the eventual selling price will be below this value.

Combined with the Stirling & Co stock purchase, Mowbrays now have the largest stock of stamps in the southern hemisphere.

``We are currently expanding our Otaki offices by 50 percent, and it’s obvious we still need more space.’’

Mowbrays bought 15 tonnes of stamps from the Stirling building in Christchurch two years ago.

The Stirling collection was among the biggest stamp stocks in Australia and New Zealand.

ENDS

© Scoop Media