In the world of philately, Jill Nutsford may be an award-winning ‘newbie’ but she has almost seven decades of experience under her belt when it comes to collecting stamps.

The Pyes Pa resident won the Novice Trophy for her first ever entry in an inter-club competition; the upper North Island’s Ambury Shield in November. Her Tauranga team also picked up the overall prize.

“I was so surprised to win because I tend to focus on the technical side of things rather than making my entry colourful and beautiful to look at,” she said.

“There was nothing pretty about my entry at all.”

The simplicity of her eight-page entry examining the evolution of the UK’s gold Royal Mail Machin stamps from 2009 to 2015 won praise from the judges. But it was long ago that the 77-year-old’s love of collecting originally began.

“When I was around 10, my father gave me an album with two stamps glued into it,” Nutsford said, before explaining that to philatelists, glue is an absolute ‘no-no’.

“I still have those original stamps. As a child, it was an on-again off-again hobby and then I got back into it in my late-20s and then joined the Tauranga and District Stamp Club in 2018.”

Nutsford actually went to a club meeting with the intention of selling her five stamp albums; “But I got hooked all over again,” she said.

“I love the camaraderie. Everyone is there to help others in what they want to collect. They’re such a great group.”

Now, she has millions of stamps in her extensive collection and is turning her attention to the stories behind them. A letter from 1841 purchased for the Penny Black stamp (the world’s first adhesive postage stamp) is a research project.

Another album contains distinctive triangular stamps commemorating New Zealand’s ‘pigeon post’ that connected Great Barrier Island with the mainland from 1897 until 1908.

They were effectively the world’s earliest airmail stamps.

“Most of us (collectors) have an interest in delving into the history behind a letter or a postcard,” said Nutsford.

“I found the pigeon post particularly fascinating because I have a whole collection dedicated to aviation that includes balloon flights, pilots and the planes that New Zealand airlines have used.”

Nutsford is now culling down her stamps, helping others value their own collections and is thrilled to help others launch into the hobby.

“There are more kids joining the club, now, which is lovely to see.”

For more information on club meetings and events, visit Tauranga and District Stamp Club - NZ Philatelic Federation