The pence values were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson. Although ½d, 1d and 1½d were issued in 1938 most of the higher pence values were not issued until 1 May, 1947.
The plates
A feature of this issue is the large number of plates that were used. The position of the plate numbers also changed over time and that is the subject of this page.
Plate number only in left margin
The first plates were 1 and 2 for the ½d green and 3 and 4 for the 1d red. In these plates, the plate number appeared only in the left hand margin opposite the 4th row of stamps.
In addition, a booklet plate numbered 5 was produced
for the 1d and appears in the selvedge of some panes.
The booklet staple marks are visible in the selvedge.
Plate numbers in both margins
Subsequently, plates 9, 10, 16, 17, 18 and 19 were laid down for the ½d green, plates 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 for the 1d red and plates 20 and 21 for the 1½d chocolate.
In these plates, the plate numbers appeared in both the left and right margins.
The ½d in chestnut exists printed from plates 17, 18 and 19.
Plate numbers moved
The 1½d in scarlet was issued printed from plates 20 and 21 with the plate numbers at the side. However, a decision was made that the plate numbers should appear at the bottom centre of the plate under the imprint. Consequently, plate numbers 20 and 21 were removed from the side and reinscribed at the bottom.
The following plates also appeared with the plate number at the centre of the bottom margin:
- ½d chestnut plate 38;
- 1d scarlet plates 25 and 26;
- 1d green plates 26, 28 - 34, 36, 37, 42, 43, 47 - 50, 53, 65, 66, 72, 73, 77, 78, 84 and 85;
- 2d plates 40, 41, 44, 46, 51, 54, 55, 61, 62, 68, 75, 76, 79, 80, 82, 86 - 89;
- 3d plates 27, 39, 45, 57, 58, 63, 67 and 69.
Bottom left
The next move was that the imprint and plate numbers appeared at the left of the bottom margin. That layout was used with the initial appearance of the higher pence values and occurred on the following plates:
- ½d plates 100, 101, 111;
- 1d plates 102 - 109, 112 - 126;
- 4d plates 90 and 94;
- 5d plates 91 and 96;
- 6d plates 92 and 98;
- 8d plates 93, 95, 99 and 110;
- 9d plate 97.
Bottom right
Finally, the imprint was shortened and it, together with the plate numbers, appeared at the bottom right.
That occurred on the following plates:
- ½d plate 133;
- 1d plate 128;
- 1½d plates 129 - 132, 136, 137;
- 2d plates 140 - 145;
- 3d plates 138, 139;
- 6d plate 146;
- 9d plates 134, 135.
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The above information is taken from The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Vols 2 and 4, published by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand in 1950 and 1964. All scans were made by the author.