New stamp for 175th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi

February 4, 2015

New stamp commemorates 175th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi

A special New Zealand Post stamp to mark the 175th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi goes on sale today.

The over-sized commemorative stamp (40x50mm) is a blend of the old and the new, and combines a coin design by New Zealander James Berry (adapted by British artist Percy Metcalfe) with contemporary Maori design by Roy MacDougall and Rangi Kipa, supported by Toi Maori Aotearoa.

New Zealand Post Head of Stamps and Coins Simon Allison said the central aspect of the stamp design depicts the figures of Tamati Waka Nene and William Hobson, and is based on the Waitangi Crown – a coin minted in 1935.

“It is the first time since 1990 that New Zealand Post has issued a Treaty of Waitangi stamp and it marks a significant milestone.

“Though the Waitangi Crown coin was not technically a commemorative coin, it functioned like one and was sold for more than their face value. This coin was struck after the New Zealand Numismatic Society approached the government suggesting a new coin marking the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

“The stamp depicts Ngapuhi chief Tamati Waka Nene shaking hands with William Hobson, the first governor of New Zealand, and the design is supported by the descendants of Tamati Waka Nene."

The two are set against a backdrop of sculptural designs based on the artists’ development of two Northland designs of Unahi (fish scale) and Kiri Kiore (Pacific rat pelt).

The fish scale design references the value of the abundant sea life that formed a staple part of the diet sustaining the many Maori coastal communities and the Kiri kiore design is a visual metaphor that relates the beauty of the Kiore pelt to that of a finely woven cloak which had great value in Maori society.

The stamp will be available from PostShops and online at nzpost.co.nz/treatyofwaitangi

Product mix

This stamp is not available individually – only as part of the miniature sheet. Therefore it is also not produced in sheets of 25.

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