Advisory Notice re New Zealand 2004 Olympic stamps: lenticular varieties

January 2008
Last month, the Expert Committee was asked to certify some varieties of the Olympic Games stamps issued by New Zealand Post on 2 August 2004, which were produced in an unusual manner involving lenticular images (SG 2727-30; CP S915a-S918a). The Committee engaged in extensive research in consequence. In two cases certificates were declined on the grounds that the items had been manipulated and were not genuine. 

The philatelic fraternity is warned that it is possible to remove and replace the lenticular portion of the stamps.

It follows that no stamp purporting to show the lenticular portion missing should be viewed as genuine. (We are aware that at least one such offering has been made and apparently sold through the internet.)

It also follows that no stamp purporting to show the wrong lenticular portion on any value (for example, a $1.50 lenticular on a $2 stamp or a 45c lenticular on a 90c stamp) can be certified as genuine.

The one major variety of this issue for which there is clear evidence of quite widespread circulation is the $2 inverted lenticular on the $2 stamp. This is known to have been genuinely sold at NZ Post outlets including Glen Innes (Auckland), Karori (Wellington) and Te Rapa (Hamilton). The Expert Committee of the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand will continue to expertise and, where appropriate, to certify this stamp.

Any other major variety of the issue should be treated with the greatest suspicion unless accompanied by reliable expert committee verification. This applies even where the item is in a se-tenant strip or on a first day cover.

One or two other varieties exist for which an impeccable provenance can be proven. Their owners are urged to have these certified at the earliest possible opportunity, for their own protection.

It is hoped that Dr Alan Craig will write further on this topic in a future number of The New Zealand Stamp Collector.

Robin Gwynn MA PhD FRPSL FRPSNZ

Chairman