A new series of stamps has been launched by the Wellington-based National Tattoo Museum in a bid to raise its profile and bring in some much needed revenue.

The Museum on Abel Smith Street is currently struggling to make ends meet and could be forced to close if a significant rise to its rent goes ahead.

Director Stephen Maddock says the stamps are for use at Universal Mail postboxes. As well as pictures of New Zealand tattoos, the stamps feature work from overseas, including a painting of work by Paulo Suluaki, a Samoan tattooist and Horioshi III, a Japanese tattooist who runs Japan's tattoo museum.