In 1955 stocks of the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II definitives were running low and as there had been many complaints, especially from elderly people, about how difficult it was to read the small values and about the difficulty distinguishing the 3d and 8d values, 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.

Although it was announced that the 8d would be replaced at an early date, the stamp was not replaced until December 1959. By that time, the 1½d brown had been removed from sale so the same colour was used. The stamp was only on sale for eight months before the 1960 Pictorials were issued - hence its rarity.