The ½d, 1d, 1½d, 2d, 2½d, 3d, 4d, 6d, 8d, 9d and 1s values of the Centennial Issue was issued overprinted Official on the same date as the unoverprinted stamps. (On 2 January 1940, except for 8d which was on 8 March.)
This was the first time that commemmorative stamps had been overprinted Official.
The total numbers overprinted Official are given below. The 5d and 7d were not overprinted.
½d: 1,082,760
1d: 3,452,880
1½d: 361,200
2d: 6,960,360
2½d: 241,600
3d: 904,200
4d: 481,200
6d: 661,200
8d: 240,840
9d: 241,200
1/-: 372,840
Official ff variety
normal
ff joined
With the ½d, 1d, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d and 8d values, a variety occurs at row 1/10 in which the ff is joined while normally there is a gap between.
This variety initially occurred at row 4/3 in the 2½d value. The forme used for overprinting the 2½d value contained 160 stereos and one stereo, by mistake, was the same as that used for overprinting the second pictorial in which the ff is joined. A single forme was used for overprinting all the other stamps (except the 1/-) and, as it became worn, a new forme was created using the stereos from the 2½d value and that included the one with the ff joined. This was noticed fairly quickly and so not many sheets include this error.
The ff variety in pair with normal
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The above information is taken from The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Vol 2, published by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand in 1950. All scans were made by the author.