WW II New Zealand Expeditionary Force Matchbox Cover Very Rare WWII Item

Description

PLEASE NOTE...... I will be away for a few days from 7/17-7/22. Any of my listings that sell in that period will ship out promptly on Thursday 7/22 upon my return. Thank you for your understanding.
I am selling a very rare, authentic, WWII item here. It is a metal and celluloid matchbox cover from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. These forces assisted the allies during WWII on both the European and Pacific theaters of operation. There were 100,000 soldiers in the N.Z.E.F. and over 12,000 died in WWII. This item was manufactured by W.B. & Co. Wellington, New Zealand. The cover has the New Zealand Expeditionary Force insignia and also has N.Z.E.F. on it. The side/spine has a very cool looking green Maori tribal Hei Tiki figure. This was a “mascot” of sorts for the N.Z.E.F. On the back is the poem/verse “God Knows” by M.L. Haskins. This passage was used by King George VI in his Christmas Day speech in 1939. It also has a cool old empty Independence Safety Match Box with it. This was a recent estate auction find. It is quite a treasure. One can only wonder how this ended up in Central Illinois. Did a U.S. soldier meet up with a New Zealand soldier at some point and trade souvenirs? Did a New Zealand soldier lose it in battle and it was picked up by an American? We will never know, but it sure makes you wonder how it got here. This is a very rare item. In my research online of this item I only found one other piece that was identical to this one AND THAT ONE IS IN A MUSEUM IN AUSTRALIA! I am guessing there are probably still a few here and there in New Zealand, but I’d venture to say you might not find another one here in the states. This is an awesome piece that is in pretty good condition considering it’s nearly 80 years of age. Please see and enlarge all photos to see exact condition of the item. This will display very nicely. This will be a great edition to any WWII military collection. It would be a great item for any WWII Military museum. It would be great inventory for any antique shop or collectibles vendor. I am selling this great piece of WWII history for .95 (plus shipping). Your .95 payment will get this packaged and shipped out to you via USPS First Class Mail within 24 hours of receipt of payment. Thank you for viewing my listing.