🇨🇰 Illustrated below are the 12 individual stamps on the subject of 'Birds of Prey' issued by Philatelic Collector Inc. which are inscribed 'Rarotonga Cook Islands' and the 12 individual stamps inscribed 'Aitutaki Cook Islands' as discussed in Blogs 1375, 76 and 77. The total face value of the 'Aitutaki' issue is NZ$36.40c which is equivalent to £19.07p. The total face value therefore for collectors wishing to buy all 12 stamps and the 3 accompanying miniature sheets is £57.21p. The total face value of the 'Rarotonga' stamps is NZ36.40c (again £19.07) meaning that the complete face value of 12 stamps and 3 miniature sheets with that name inscribed on them is also £57.21p. We may note that Rarotonga is not a separate political entity but simply the capital of Cook Islands so the issue of stamps inscribed 'Rarotonga' is rather like issuing stamps separately for London or Paris or Stockholm and so on! Rating:- 0. From what I can see in Wikipedia, Aitutaki does not have any resident Birds of Prey at all and nor does The Cook Islands in general.
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands. The capital is Avarua. Likewise Penrhyn and Aitutaki are two other islands of the group.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I don't know why Penrhyn and Aitutaki have always had their own stamps, but no doubt PCI is thinking that if Penrhyn and Aitutaki can, then why not one of the capital island. No doubt the same reasoning applies to Tonga and Niuafo'ou.