THE STAMPS OF TPNG AND PNG
by Derek Ashton
The 1966 Butterfly Definitive Issue
The Territory of Papua and New Guinea (as it was then), together with the Commonwealth of Australia and its other Territories, changed from £sd currency to a new decimal currency on the 14th of February 1966. All stamps expressed in the old £sd currency were withdrawn from issue at the close of business on the 12th and replaced by the new decimal stamps to be issued a the opening of the post offices on the 14th.
The first of the new decimal currency stamps was a set of eleven definitives featuring butterflies of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea and they depicted the following:
lc Blue Emperor - Papilio ulysses autolycus
3c White Banded Map Butterfly - Marpesia acilia tervisia
4c Mountain Swallowtail - Graphium weiskei
5c Port Moresby Terinos - Terinos alurgis
1Oc New Guinea Birdwing - Ornithoptera priamus poseidon
15c Euchenor Butterfly - Papilio euchenor
20c White Spotted Parthenos - Parthenos sylvia pherekides
25c Orange Jezebel - Delias aruna aruna
50c New Guinea Emperor - Apaturina erminea papuana
$1 Blue Spotted Leaf-wing - Doleschallia dascylus
$2 Paradise Birdwing - Ornithoptera paradisea