1953 Queen Elizabeth II

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		Cat.	Mint Unhinged	Mint Hinged	Fine Used
½d	Grey	93a	$0.55	$0.45	$0.70
1d	Orange	93b	$0.55	$0.45	$0.70
1½d	Brown	93c	$0.55	$0.45	$0.70
2d	Viridian Green	93d	$0.55	$0.45	$0.70
3d	Deep Orange / Red	93e	$0.55	$0.45	$0.70
4d	Blue	93f	$0.90	$0.90	$0.70
6d	Purple	93g	$2.25	$1.70	$1.10
8d	Red	93h	$1.70	$1.45	$0.90
9d	Brown / Green	93i	$1.80	$1.55	$0.55
1/-	Black / Red (Simplified)	93j	$2.05	$1.60	$0.50
	(i) Die I (from 1954)	93j1	$2.25	$1.80	$0.90
	(ii) Die II (from 1958)	93j2	$495.00	$450.00	$45.00
1/6	Black / Blue	93k	$4.50	$3.60	$0.70
1/9	Black / Orange (from 1957 on) (Simplified)	93l	$6.75	$5.40	$1.80
	(i) On coarse ordinary paper (from 1957)	93l1	$7.20	$6.30	$2.00
	(ii) On thick white paper (from 1958)	93l2	$7.20	$6.30	$2.00
2/6	Brown (from 1957 on)	93m	$54.00	$42.50	$9.00
3/-	Viridian Green	93n	$24.75	$13.50	$1.00
5/-	Red	93o	$59.40	$45.00	$9.00
10/-	Blue	93p	$126.00	$72.00	$49.50

	Set of 16 individual stamps	93q	$272.50	$181.90	$74.35

4/-	Booklet of twelve 1d and twelve 3d stamps (Issued 1954)	93r	$27.00
	… Twenty four Stamps : 1d (93b x 12), 3d (93e x 12)
	(i) Booklet of twelve 1d and twelve 3d stamps with airmal labels (Issued 1955)	93r1	$72.00
	… Twenty four Stamps : 1d (93b x 12), 3d (93e x 12)
	(ii) Booklet of twelve 1d and twelve 3d stamps with 3d large figure (Issued 1956)	93r2	$45.00
	… Twenty four Stamps : 1d (93b x 12); 1955 Queen Elizabeth II - Larger Figures 3d (98d x 12)
	(iii) Booklet of twelve 1d and twelve 3d stamps with 1d and 3d large figure (Issued 1957)	93r3	$72.00
	… Twenty four Stamps : 1955 Queen Elizabeth II - Larger Figures 1d (98a x 12), 3d (98d x 12)
	(iv) Booklet of twelve 1d and twelve 3d stamps with wax paper between stamps (Issued 1959)	93r4	$81.00
	… Twenty four Stamps : 1955 Queen Elizabeth II - Larger Figures 1d (98a x 12), 3d (98d x 12)

	First Day Cover - 15 December 1953	93s			$22.50
	… 1½d (93c)
	First Day Cover - 1 March 1954	93t			$153.00
	… ½d (93a), 1d (93b), 2d (93d), 3d (93e), 4d (93f), 6d (93g), 8d (93h), 9d (93i), 1/- (93j), 1/6 (93k), 3/- (93n), 5/- (93o), 10/- (93p)
	First Day Cover - 1 July 1957	93u			$59.40
	… 1/9 (93l), 2/6 (93m)

Following his death in 1952 it was decided to replace the set as soon as possible with a new Queen Elizabeth II definitive issue. The denominations were similar to the George VI issue but there was no five penny stamp and the 1/3 and 2/- stamps were replaced by a 1/6 stamp. Five and ten shilling stamps were also added.

With the exception of the 1½d stamp which due to a stamp shortage was issued in mid December 1953 to meet the Christmas demand, the rest of the set was issued on March the 1st 1954.

The 1/9 and 2/6 values were added in 1957 to cover increases in airmail and parcel rates.

This issue was the first to dispense with the inscription 'Postage & Revenue' after it was decided that it was no longer necessary to incorporate these words on stamps

Many complaints were received, especially from elderly people, about how difficult it was to read the figures on the low denomination stamps and in 1955 the designs were altered.

The differences between the two issues are very easy to spot: larger values were added on the left of the stamp; 'New Zealand' was shifted right of centre and the Southern Cross was omitted from the right hand side of the design. The new designs are listed as a separate issue in this catalogue under 1955 Queen Elizabeth II - Larger Figures.

Booklets were issued containing twelve 1d and twelve 3d stamps. The first booklets (92r) issued on the 1st of April 1954 did not contain airmail labels and contained 12 each of the small figure stamps (92b) and (92e).

Booklets issued from September 1955 contained the same stamps plus a sheet of airmail stickers (92r1).

Booklets issued from May 1st 1956 contained the small figure 1d stamps and the 3d stamps with large figures (97d) plus a sheet of airmail stickers (92r2).

Booklets issued from September 5th 1957 contained 1d and 3d stamps both with large figures (97a and 97d) plus a sheet of airmail stickers (92r3).

Booklets issued from June 20th 1959 contained the same large figure stamps plus airmail stickers interleaved with a layer of waxed paper. (92r4).

Bibliography

The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume IV

Edited by R. J. G. Collins FRPSNZ and C.W. Watts FRPSNZ

Published 1960 by The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated

Pages 409 - 413

The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Volume VI

Edited by D. E. G. Naish FRPSNZ and K. J. McNaught FRPSNZ FRPSL

Publsihed 1975 by The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand Incorporated

Pages 38 - 40, 42

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