New Zealand Circle
Infobox
Name: Round Kiwi
Issued by: New Zealand
Type: Definitive
Year: 1988-2018
Sides: 1
Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
What's on the stamp
New Zealand is known for it's kiwis: they are flightless, endemic birds roughly the size of a chicken. They are from the genus Apteryx, and there are five species. The species featured on the first eight issues is the brown kiwi, A. mantelli.
A male brown kiwi
Image from Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust on Wikimedia Commons
Kiwi range map
Image from Grutness on Wikimedia CommonsAbout the stamp
1988 The first issue
The first round kiwi stamp, known as the green round kiwi, was issued on 19 October 1988. It was New Zealand's first round stamp. On the booklet, which contained six stamps, there was a short description:
The stamps in this booklet were printed by the Intaglio Process.
The printing plate was engraved in Canada and the stamps were produced by Leigh-Mardon Ply. Limited, Melbourne.
This is the first Intaglio stamp produced by Leigh-Mardon and the first engraved stamp issued by New Zealand Post Limited.
This was followed by eight issues. Some notable ones are below.
1999 The Last Sunset
This issue was released to commemorate the last day of the 20th century. Like the previous 1997 issue, it was printed in purple. Golden suns feature in the selvage. The 'last day cover' featured a sunset and the time it occured in New Zealand Standard Time.
The Last Sunset last day cover
Image from Stamps NZ2011 Round Kiwi
The 2011 Round Kiwi also includes designs on the selvage – small gray ferns.
2018 Round Kiwi
This is the only issue to have different species of kiwi. They are not engraved, and have a different composition in the border.
Gallery
1988 Green Round Kiwi
Image from Colnect
1991 Red Round Kiwi
Image from Colnect
1993 Blue Round Kiwi
Image from Colnect
1997 Purple Round Kiwi
Image from Colnect
1999 The Last Sunset
Image from Colnect
2000 Golden Kiwi
Image from Colnect
2002 Bronze Round Kiwi
Image from Colnect
2011 Round Kiwi
Image from Colnect
2018 Round Kiwi
Image from NZPostReferences
Stamps NZ / New Zealand Stamp Catalogue - Round Kiwi / https://stampsnz.com/round_kiwi.html
Wikipedia / Kiwi (bird) / https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_(bird)
Wikipedia / North Island Brown Kiwi / https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Island_brown_kiwi
NZPost / 2018 Round Kiwi Set of Cancelled Stamps / https://collectables.nzpost.co.nz/2018-round-kiwi-set-of-cancelled-stamps/