New Zealand Stamp Collector, Volume 76/4, December 1996, p93.

The Teddy Bears Enjoy Their Picnic

by Robin Gwynn FRPSL, FRPSNZ

This year's annual Stanley Gibbons New Zealand auction, held in Wellington on 9 November, provided plenty of interest and more than its fair share of surprises.

The interest focused particularly on the 1996 "Teddy Bear" health errors offered on behalf of the Auckland Savings Bank, which donated the entire proceeds of the 87 stamps sold to the Starship Childrens' Hospital and the Childrens' Health Camp Board. They were divided into nine lots: five single stamps, three blocks of four with barcode, and one major investment lot of seventy stamps of which six were slightly damaged.

As detailed in the auction catalogue, fifteen sheets of a hundred stamps of the original design with teddy bear were accidentally released to two post offices, Te Ngae (Rotorua) and Royal Oak (Auckland). All other stamps that were printed were withdrawn prior to issue after the design was criticised for showing the baby sitting the wrong way in the car seat in relation to the seat-belted teddy bear. Of the 1500 stamps, 539 were retrieved by the Post Office, leaving 961 sold over the counter. Most of the stamps at the Royal Oak Post Office seem to have been purchased by the Auckland Savings Bank, and it was its use of the stamps on mail that brought their existence to the knowledge of the philatelic world. When television coverage alerted the bank to the situation it had 88 stamps left, the 87 sold here plus one it kept for its records.

Early press releases suggested the stamps might be estimated at $250 each. No estimate was offered in the sale catalogue, but auctioneer John Mowbray proved he was not exaggerating in stating that "the bidding has been quite extraordinary" by holding up six or seven computer-generated sheets listing postal bids. After spirited room bidding the single stamps each fetched $825, the barcode blocks fetched between $2850 and $3100, and the major investment lot realised a massive $48,000. That figure meant that the Health Camp Board and the hospital each received a total of over $30,000, and was met by applause from the crowded room.

The auction had started on an unusual note with one bidder securing lot after lot in the "collections and accumulations" section. Rumour had it he was a Malaysian who just happened to drop in while on holiday. If so, the auctioneers may want to send him a complimentary air ticket next year, since it did not seem to matter whether the material was old or modern, mint or used. New Zealand or Commonwealth or foreign, or in good or indifferent condition!

What of other sections in the auction? Our society's library failed to acquire a bundle of Antarctica literature which fetched $170 against an estimate of $100. Postal history produced varying results. The best Full Face Queens did well: outstanding were the Id, 2d, 6d and I/- stamps on pelure paper perf 13 unused, which between them fetched over $20,000, with the auctioneer's commission. A strong section of 1898 pictorials produced what was surely a record price for an unhinged mint example of the 3d London print with offset, $808 (inclusive of commission) against a CP catalogue price of $650. Edward VII and George V were quiet. As the day wore on, the pace of the sale became frenetic, and the present reporter found it impossible to write down the results as fast as the lots were sold. Perhaps the moral is that over eleven hundred lots are simply too many. But all in all, an interesting and enjoyable philatelic day out, and a picnic occasion for the teddy bears.

(Note: the original article did not include the images as shown)

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