"Queen of New Zealand" legend on New Zealand collector coins

[<k>]

New Zealand, 50 cents, 1984.

New Zealand decimalised in 1967.

From 1967 to 1985, its coins carried Machin's portrait of the Queen.


Above you see the standard obverse.

It appeared on all circulation coins.

It also appeared on all collector coins from 1967 to 1976.

[<k>]

Images © Numista.

From 1977 to 1982 only, the collector coins carried the legend:

ELIZABETH II  QUEEN OF NEW ZEALAND

[<k>]

New Zealand, 1 dollar, 1978.   Collector coin.

Here you see a collector dollar of 1978.

It includes the legend: QUEEN OF NEW ZEALAND.


It commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

New Zealand did not issue a circulation dollar coin until 1990.

[<k>]

New Zealand, 1 dollar, 1980.  Collector coin.

Image © GB Classic Coins.

Here you see a collector dollar of 1981.

It also includes the legend: QUEEN OF NEW ZEALAND.


It shows a special portrait of the Queen.

It was designed by James Berry.


James Berry had died in 1979, before the later issues of the portrait.

That portrait was only used on the collector dollars of 1979 to 1982.

[<k>]

New Zealand, trial 1 cent coin, 1982.

Image © Baldwin's.

The legend QUEEN OF NEW ZEALAND was briefly considered for the circulation coinage.

Here you see it on a trial 1 cent coin, along with Berry's portrait.

However, neither the legend nor the portrait were ever adopted for the circulation coinage.

See:  New Zealand trials of the 1980s.