Ok, So When Was This Mailed? (New Zealand)

Confused ... The front implies that it was issued on the Coronation Flight (handwritten note in upper left), with the cancellations June 2, 1953. It almost looks like a first day cover, but the stamps were issued May 25, 1953.



Unfortunately, there's this darn, pesky note printed on the envelope on the back, dated 1955:



So, this appears to be a pre-dated item that was actually sent through the mail 2 years later? The cancellation is printed over the written address.

First day of issue would have been 25th May as the stamps were issued in time for the coronation which was on 2nd June so the cover is a coronation day cover.
The back advertised a forthcoming International event in 1955. Not uncommon for this to occur...below is a GB mini-sheet issued in 1978 to show that there was to be an International event in 1980.

I`m afraid I know nothing about QEII`s Coronation Flight. The cover was on the flight from London?

Thanks Scotzm. I should have realized that the wording on the back was for a future event.

It is still a bit confusing concerning the "Coronation Flight" wording, plus the "via London" inscription. Apparently this letter began in Wellington and ended in California via London. If so, was this some special flight? (The Queen wouldn't be on it, of course, as she was at her coronation at the time.)

Here's the info on the first Coronation Flight (1937.) I imagine that the OP's cover was created to carry on that tradition though I haven't found any information as of yet about the full workings.

http://gbstamp.co.uk/article/philat...1937-78.html

I believe most Quantas airline travel went "via London" at that time.
The Coronation Flight was a Quantas organized event and they had their own official Quantas covers which were backstamped with a London cachet on arrival on 6th June before onward travel to the specified destinations.

I have one of those philatelic creations in my collection.



And I found another interesting cover with a nice Coronation Seal on the back.





Too bad for the stuck black paper.