NZ's biggest annual stamp auction

The first postage stamps ever issued in New Zealand 150 years ago are among nearly 1200 lots to go under the hammer at Mowbray's major international $1.3 million stamp auction in Wellington on Saturday.

The sale by publicly-listed Mowbray's is easily New Zealand's biggest annual stamp auction.

The penny, two penny and one shilling 1855 full-face Queen Victoria stamps were the first New Zealand postage stamps ever sold in this country.

Up for auction at the West Plaza Hotel on Friday are five one shilling stamps, one penny stamp and eight two penny stamps, all from 1855. The dull carmine-colored one penny stamp, on its own, is expected to fetch $3500.

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