The Peace Issue was issued on 1 April 1946 to celebrate peace after the Second World War.
The 1d and 2d values were printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co in sheets of 240 (12 rows of 20) and perf 13½ x 13. The 1d was issued with plate numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and the 2d with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
The 1½d was in sheets of 160 (16 rows of 10) and the 1/- in sheets of 120 (6 rows of 20); both were perf 14 x 15 with plate numbers 1A and 1B and printed by Harrison.
The others were perf 13½ and printed by Waterlow in sheets of 120 (15 rows of 8) except for the 8d (8 rows of 15). The plate numbers did not appear on the printed sheets.
They were watermarked multi NZ and star (sideways on the 1½d).
The total numbers printed are given below. The numbers of the 1d, 2d, 6d and 8d values subsequently overprinted for use in the New Zealand Dependencies are given in brackets.
½d: 9,499,960
1d: 110,000,000 (2,160,000)
1½d: 4,500,000
2d: 144,000,000 (2,160,000)
3d: 12,499,920
4d: 4,7500,000
5d: 7,999,920
6d: 8,749,920 (1,440,000)
8d: 6,999,960 (1,440,000)
9d: 3,249,960
1/-: 4,500,000
They were withdrawn from sale on 30 June 1948.
Rudder retouch on the 3d
normal
rudder retouch
There were two centre plates for the 3d.
The back of the rudder in the flying boat is normally incomplete, but has been strengthened in one impression in each of the two centre plates. This occurs in Row 2/4 in centre plate 42883 and at Row 3/2 in centre plate 42796.
In the retouch example there are also extra blue dots to the left of the rudder
showing that it is the example from plate 42883.
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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.