The decimal coinage of New Zealand

[<k>]

My thanks to Paul Bicknell of The Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand for providing me with this scan of a report by the New Zealand Treasury. It was published some time before the decimalisation of the New Zealand coinage and currency.

Most interesting for me are the following points:

d) The set of seven coins includes the fern in its three forms, the 1c fern leaf, the 20c fern bush and the $1 fern fronds.

My note: the dollar coin was a collector coin and not a circulation coin.

e) The 2c kowhai bears 2 kowhai flowers to emphasise its value. 1c and 5c designs, featuring one and five kowhai flowers respectively, were prepared but not used.

f) The 5c tuatara design was initially planned as the 10c coin. However, it was decided to preserve a Maori motif on the 10 cents coin, since its predecimal counterpart, the shilling, featured a Maori warrior.




NOTE:  Part g) refers to '10/-'. This means 10 shillings.

10/6 meant 10 shillings and sixpence, but 10/- meant 10 shillings and no pence.

Similarly, '7/-' means 7 shillings, and so on.

[<k>]

Here you see the design on the reverse of the New Zealand $1.

The design was by William Gardner. The coin was a collector coin only.

[<k>]

From 1967 to 1969, the New Zealand 10 cents coin also carried the words 'ONE SHILLING' in addition to the numerals '10' (for 10 cents).

This was meant to provide an anchor for the public, as a way into understanding the new system. The term 'ONE SHILLING' was removed after 1969.

My thanks to Paul Bicknell of The Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand for providing me with this scan of a report by the New Zealand Treasury. It was published in May 1964.

[Mister T]

My thanks to Paul Bicknell of The Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand for providing me with this scan of a report by the New Zealand Treasury. It was published in May 1964.

Is this from the same report at the top of the page?

[<k>]

No, that report does not include any images.

[Mister T]

No, that report does not include any images.

Gah I quoted the wrong image - are the pages of text both from the May 1964 report?

[<k>]

Yes, if I remember correctly, but I didn't keep the scans.