ANZAC STAMPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 10

ANZAC STAMPS.

WORLD-WIDE DEMAND.

HEAVY FIRST DAY ORDERS

PROCEEDS TOTAL £1807

, First clay sales totalling £ISO 7 at the four chief centres and at tile General Post Office demonstrate how widespread is the interest in the distinctive Anzac commemorative stamp. Ihe overseas demand has been exceptional, orders having come from the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Britain, Austria, and Sweden. Philatelic journals and prominent newspapers in several countries reproduced the design, which lias been described as well worthy of the historic subjefct. 'l'he Anzac issue revived interest in the landing 011 Gallipoli, and articles have been published describing this famous exploit of the Australian and New Zealand forces. Many ex-service , men in other parts of the world who had been associated with the Anzacs have secured sets of the commemorative stamps. < Anticipating that tlio philatelic demand for first-day covers would be heavy, the Post OHice arranged for a free distribution of envelopes 011 a generous scale, but four printings involving 110,000 envelopes proved insufllcient, and it Was impossible to secure a general last-minute distribution to cope with final orders. The firsteover sales greatly exceeded those of the New Zealand and Western Samoan pictorial issues. Branches of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association throughout the Dominion ale now engaged in active campaigns to promote the sale of the Anzac stamps, half the proceeds being for the relief of necessitous returned soldiers and their dependents. The Post Ofiiee has experienced a steady daily demand for the new issue, and it lias already become evident that highly satisfactory results will be shown by the time the Anzac stamps are withdrawn frftm sa'.e at the closc of business 011 June 20.