An Introduction To New Zealand Decimal Coins 1967 - 2020

I don't have many post 1990 sets, but these are a few I have had and still have. I have been focussing so much on Halfcrowns and Florins , I have just put them off.

Next year I aim to complete my holdings!



1991 World Cup Uncirculated set with 5c to $5 showing Webb Ellis Trophy


1992 25th anniversary of Decimal currency with $5 showing a range of decimal coins



2011 set showing how the display changed when the 5c went and the coins became smaller under $1.

Random $5 coins 1990s and 2000s.

The Reserve Bank started appearing on collector coins in 1990 and de regulation of the Government and the rise of neo liberal capitalist greed in the 4th Labour government saw a freer issuing and distribution of collectors products.



$5 coins were issued outside of annual coin sets and these coins were usually Cupronickel for Uncirculated grade and .925 Silver for proof grade. These coins were sold well above face value price (1990s average $40 for UNC and $90 - $120 for Proof silver) and were legal tender, but again you would need rocks in your head to spend these coins.

They also issued $10 and even $20 and $150 coins some year. here we focus on the $5 coins.

1990 - Anzac $5 (Issued with Australia and Aluminium Bronze)
60k NZ only and 60k sets of both for NZ market.
Uncirculated grade only, no proofs

1992 - Explorers - 4 coins Cook, Kupe, Tasman, Columbus
40k of each separate and 40k sets of 4 like mine in UNC and not issued in proof condition.

1993 - Sea Lion 20k UNC and 5k Proof (4.2k minted) from this point on , unsold silver proofs were melted down and made into later coins.

1994 - Winter Olympics 35k UNC and 5k Prf (3.3k sold)

1994 - Queen Mother 35k UNC and 4k Prf (3378 sold)

Modern Proof set, not my own photo.

1995 - James Clark Ross (Antarctic Explorer) 13k UNC and 3k Proof (2938 minted and sold)

1996 - 1999 City series, a set of 4 coins one released each year showing the 4 main centres.

1996 Auckland 6k UNC, 3k Prf (Now coins are minted to orders only, starting in 1996 an internet site was set up for pre orders of coins).
1997 - Chch - 5k UNC and 3k Prf (Actual figures about 70% of each)

1998 Dunedin - 4k UNC and 2.5 Prf

Beginning in 1999 some proof issues moved to .999 Silver from Sterling, the Wellington $5 coin was one of the first
1999 - Wellington 3.5k UNC, 2.5k .999 Silver proof.

1997 - Golden Wedding of the Queen - 1.5k sold of 9k UNC only

1998 Pride in NZ set of 4 coins showing Kiwi symbols, 2k UNC and 1200 .999 Silver proof (Sets of 4 coins) - not sold as sepearate coins, first truly wallpaper coin issue.

2001 - Royal Visit - 1.8k .999 silver proof and 200 more for a stamp issue related cover (TOTAL of 2000 coins minted)

2002 - Auckland Casino Sktower - 2k .925 Silver proof plus 500 more on a stamp cover (2002 Architecture set).
Also 2.5k UNC coins and 500 unc coins on stamp covers.

2002 - America's Cup - 6k UNC and 4k .925 Silver proof, plus 500 each grade as Stamp issue cover tie in (Numismatic covers).

2002 - Queens Golden Jubilee, 25k silver .925 coins in UNC grade with gold highlights + 100 for stamp covers.

2003 - Coronation, as above, 25k silver coins with gold highlights and 100 more for numismatic covers.

2003 saw the end of $5 one off coins and the values of $1 were returned to for silver one off coins with the arrival of LOTR coins which were in 3 grades

50c = Aluminium Bronze
$1 = Silver
$10 = Gold

Sorry if this is overload, I hope to get some of these items soon and show pictures.

Also in the 1990s, $10 collector coins were issued for a short while and were reasonable sellers. Most of these were minted at The Royal Mint, Royal Australian and even a German Mint

These coins were like the $5 in size and shape except they were minted in Aluminium Bronze giving them that gold colour. To muddy the waters further, the proof version were Gold for the first 3 issues and gilded silver afterwards. These coins were also "Minted to order" and thus no surpluses to melt down. They were meant to be a reasonably priced companion for one off $5 issues and general collectors. The rich end of the market was catered for with gold or silver proof versions.

Unlike $5 one off coins, these were not packaged in cardboard folders, but issued in proper ring boxes usually in a capsule like the Proof $1 large coins and Proof $5 coins. Their sale price was cheap at around $40 - $60 for the $10 UNC aluminium bronze coins and close to the melt value of the gold for Proof versions, which in the 90s was only $350USD an ounce.

The first 3 issues were based around Gold and the Gold rushes.

1995 - Gold Prospector 7k with 5.4k actually minted
Also a gold proof version, .999 Gold half an ounce, 600 minted

1996 General Grant 6k (4k minted) - this was a ship full of gold that went down and was crushed in storm in the Auckland Islands (50.30s 166.10E)in 1866 with much gold on it. There has been numerous unsuccessful attempts to go after the treasure since.
Also 650 gold proofs

1997 Gabriels Gully - This was the site of NZ's first gold strike in 1861. 3k Al Br (2500 minted) and 650 Gold proofs

1998 - Benz anniversary - showing the first car bought to New Zealand in 1898, a Benz Comfortable. I had this coin, and it was stolen in my collection back in 2001.
2000 coins - Copper Zinc and 1500 gilded in silver Copper Zinc

By 1999 it was obvious this series was not a big seller and no $10 collectors coin was issued.

2000 - Millenium 33k (5k only for NZ), Sterling silver with a gold plated cameo (Complete gimmick actually but sold well).

2000 - Niagara/Claymore - 2 more sunken ships with bullion on them, the Niagara sank in 1940 and most of its gold and silver was recovered a year later. - 2 small gold coins .25 and .125 of an ounce (600 sets of 2 coins)

2002 - America's cup 5000 Gilded nickel brass coins, as companion pieces to $5 UNC coins.
Also 900 Gold coins.

In 2003 the $10 denomination became a Gold only coin denomination with most of the coins being 1 ounce gold and sold for around $4k each. I will not describe these as most were just wallpaper issues for Lord of the Rings, The Lion and Wardrobe, Maori themes and Hobbit movies.

Sizes of these coins were not consistent, with most being .25 ounce (Sovereign sized) after 2005, but some were 1 ouncers.

2 of these $10 coins.

Images courtesy of Oceanic mint.com (NOT MINE)



1995 Gold Prospector standard UNC coin



1998 Benz anniversary - Gilded gold proof (Luxe version).
Numbers for 1998 coin, not listed in yesterday's post - 2k Standard and 1.5k Gilded gold proof like coin shown above.

As promised, some photos of these coins. These ones I got loose at the auction, but they are essentially uncirculated.





1993 $2 Kingfisher (Kotare) coin, uncirculated finish. This coin was only released in annual sets and the 1993 had no $5 coin as an anchor. The coin was the same size and shape as the standard $2 coin, but never circulated. The Obverse is very similar to the 1998 $2 coin rather than 1990 - 97 ones.



1994 Bimetallic 50 cents, this coin was actually issued for the 225th annivesary of Captain Cook's rediscovery of NZ. The coin is the same size as a usual 50 cent and was cupronickel outer and aluminium brass middle.

I got 2 coins and thus why just one shot to show both sides. I was lucky to get them all for $22 for 3 coins.

The only silver or proof I won at this auction was this proof set of the 4 x 1989 Commonwealth games dollars. It held on to the old plush case for one more year for silver proof dollars.



The case has some rust and there is toning on the paper, 1989 was the very last year of acidopherous paper use, starting in 1990 they used acid free paper.


Fortunately they had switched to better plastic for the capsules and the coins are untarnished and look perfect.
There is swimming, running (Victory), Weightlifting and gymnastics (Ribbon routine, the best design of the 4)


The obverse is shown when I turned over one of the coins, showing cameoing on the Queen.

Normally I would not buy this type of thing and no doubt in 1989/1990 there was some harrumping over there being 4 large dollar coins instead of one.
I got it below melt though at least and its 3.2 ounces of silver!

Here is a proof set rarity for you all I just picked up





These were the one off designs for NZ 1990 and I think I showed the Cupronickel set some posts back. The Proof set was an all silver production (Meaning all 5 coins are Sterling grade with other 2 ounces of creamy silver there alone and proofed).

6,900 were made, but this is the rare convention Overprint set that catalogues at $450.00. Only 100 were made and this is one of them. The best part was price - it cost $95.