'A New Zealand Stamp Collection' 

Objectives of 'The Collection'

 

There are a number of objectives of 'The Collection'.  They are:

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1. To build a quality collection of New Zealand philatelic items -  stamps and postal history

2. To repatriate NZ philatelic items

3. To share 'The Collection' with others both virtually and physically, and

4. To inspire others to collect stamps and learn about our country's history while doing so.

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1.  To Build a Quality Collection

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New Zealand's stamps are some of the most collectible in the world.  Beautiful designs, quality printing, foibles, errors, counterfeits, a bit of skullduggery, controversies and a whole lot more - all wrapped up in some postage stamps!  The quality and innovation is also amazing.  From early pictorials in the 19th Century to 3D images on stamps, NZ has led the way in many philatelic streams. 

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The first objective is to build a world class collection to represent these stories as well as I can.

 

2.  Repatriate NZ Stamps

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So popular are NZ stamps to collectors around the world that many of the great collections have resided off-shore, especially in the UK, Europe and the USA. The secondary aim of 'The Collection' is to bring NZ stamps back home to NZ.  I in no way resent the fact that overseas collectors covet NZ stamps - I admire them for it - and in fact their collection building efforts have uncovered great items hitherto lost deep in another collection - thus making other collector's jobs easier, but many of the great items and items of great interest have found their way off-shore. 

 

The second objective is to repatriate as many items of significance and interest as I can.

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3.  Share the Fun of NZ Stamps

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Many of NZ's finest philatelic items are held in museums such as the NZ Post collection now with TePapa Tongarewa and the Sir Heaton Rhodes collection at the Canterbury Museum.   Many are held in the Royal Collection in England also.  Museums are very necessary institutions, not only because they physically protect these historic items, but they protect future generations access to their whakapapa and ensure that knowledge is not only secured but further developed. But access to the collections can be difficult or at best irregular.

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Collectors have different motivations, including the joy of accumulating and exhibiting their take on a philatelic subject, and sharing publicly with other collectors in clubs or through exhibitions, before 'selling' off their items so that others may enjoy ownership and of building their own interpretation of the stamps.  

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The third objective is to make 'The Collection' accessible for folks whether they be researchers or just interested hobbyists - bust accessible physically.  I enjoy looking at collections on-line.  I love looking at the real deal up close.

 

4.  Inspiration

 

NZ stamps have such a rich history, but often this history is communicated in a cold factual almost boring way.  The 'technical' aspects at times dominate the 'emotional' aspects of a story.  I concur that it is necessary to accurately record the facts and preserve the story in a factual fashion, but there is also room for the more informal relaxed versions of events that can be thought provoking and when combined with great story-telling can really create rich stories of inspiration.  

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The final objective is to inspire people around philately and NZ history.