SG4

Richardson One Penny value . The first stamps printed in the new colony.

Qty. printed - @75,096 (2 rows of 12 short of 313 sheets - in 5 printings between Nov. 1855 - 28 May 1857)

In November 1855, Mr J Richardson was awarded the contract to print the stamps. According to the records he was the "one person in the town (Auckland) competent to print postage stamps".

J. Richardson, Printer, of Auckland, used the plates and produced the first locally made New Zealand stamps in November 1855, when the 1d value was printed. The stamps appeared on unwatermarked, but smooth surfaced, blue coloured paper. At least four different makes of paper were used since four different papermakers watermarks have been identified:

 a) SANDS & McDOUGALL MELBOURNE in double lined upper-case letters;
 b) CHARLES SKIPPER & EAST LONDON in somewhat similar lettering;
 c) SANDS & KENNY in similar lettering; and
 d) IPM Co 1852 in copper-plate upper-case letters 4 .

Stamps showing papermaker watermark a) are scarce in this form and exceedingly rare in the other three

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The star watermark paper had been sent from London with the plates, but Richardson felt that its quality was unsatisfactory. Hence, between 1855 and 1857, he used an unwatermarked blue paper.

Richardson printed 29,016 copies of the 1d in November and December 1855 while the 2d and 1/- values were not produced until 1856 & 1857 respectively. 

1855 (Dec.).
No wmk.
Imperf.
Blue paper
Recess printed by J. Richardson Auckland
SG 4 / CP A1c

Scarce and quite expensive in any condition.