New Zealand Stamp Stamp Points Introduction

In 1996, New Zealand Post introduced a Loyalty Program for their Philatelic Customers. The Philatelic Bureau would keep a tally of every dollar spent on eligible products during the calendar year. The rewards would be products not offered for sale from the Philatelic Bureau or Philatelic Sales Centres. Over the years, the types of product have included, Best Of Miniature Sheets, Art Prints, First Day Covers, Imperforate Se-Tenant Strips, Imperforate Sheets, Se-Tenant Strip combinations not normally issued and also Se-Tenant Blocks.

From 1996 to 2000, there were three "Best Of ..." miniature sheets available for each year. They were housed in a colourful folder. There were also six "Art Prints" for each year, except 1997, where only five were issued. Each "Art Print" had a large image of a stamp and actual stamps cancelled with a "Stamp Points" obliterator.

2001 saw a significant change to the offerings. The Miniature Sheets and Art Prints were no longer offered. In their place were stamps from the Queen Elizabeth 2001 Royal Visit issue. The lowest points offer was an Imperforate Se-Tenant strip of the six different stamps. Each step above that gave you the strip, plus an Imperforate Sheet of one value. You could only get all six Imperforate Sheets at the top level. Also at that level was an Imperforate Se-Tenant Block, which consisted of three Strips. The top level was beyond the scope of most customers, so a complete set of sheets is rare.

The change in 2001 was not popular, and the Bureau reverted back to "Best Of" miniature sheets for 2002 onwards, but without the folder. They also introduced Souvenir Covers with cancelled miniature sheets. Se-Tenant strips or blocks continued as well. They could be acquired mint or cancelled with a special "Stamp Points" obliterator.

There are numerous occasions where a stamp in the miniature sheet has a different perforation to that of the normal issued stamp. These are indicated within each years page.