Australian And New Zealand Coins, How Far Back Can We Go - First Edition

1969 was a big year in Australia too. It was the year the 12 sided (Dodecagonal) 50 cent coin was released!





Here I show 2 near UNC examples (Probably AU)

These coins came about after the original 50 cents of 1966 was issued in silver and in 1967 the price of silver shot up making the issue of these coins uneconomic, so no 50 cent coins in 1967 or 1968. Reissuing the coin in Cupronickel was a problem as it would be similar in size to the 20c, so like in Britain with its new 50p, a polygonal coin was used. It worked but now with inflation, the 50 cent is an oversized pocket killer.

Most of the other 1969 dated coins are considered scarce, so happy to show you a 20c, 5c and 1c as well. The 2c is also scarce and I don't have it, I held back on the 10c which is common, but mine is very worn. After all we are now dealing with coins that have spent over a half century in circulation, imagine the stories they could tell.

The 20cent could remember the first time it came back as change for a purchase of a Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs album or a pair of flower patterned flares and how it got the dent in 1986 when a bogan called Gazza hit his 1971 Torana with it

All in all 1969 was a big year down under!

Triggersmob, we have not heard from you for a few days, is everything okay?

Oh no, I hope you get well soon.

You could email me another wantlist if you like as I have some more stuff in, like I said duplicates of these dollars and some shiny late date halfcrowns and shillings.

Meanwhile I know you have some Australian goodies lined up for me. Have done a 2nd trade with Ralf and I think DG is ready for Round 2 as well.

Get better soon buddy, will admit going to be overdoing it next few days as the Decimal changeover is one of my favourite periods in both our countries coinage histories.

1969 New Zealand dollar:


The case insert is actually dark blue but came out black in the photo, which I took under artificial light.

Post it now, I am sure we can look past it.

If it helps there is the NZ Cook 50 cents too and its "69"!

The more the merrier!

Jbuck, that is a sweet looking coin.
Glad you shared it.

Steve :)

Nice stamps PrinceTane.
I don't have them in my collection, but I don't
really collect stamps anymore.

Steve :)

Loverley - 1968 is a less common year for both countries.

No coins were issued for circulation in New Zealand dated 1968, being just the 2nd year of decimal currency and the large numbers of 1967 coins still bedding in (Some 256 million coins for a population of 2.5 million people!).

However 75,000 sets of 1968 dated coins were issued for collectors, these included 35k of standard UNC sets and 40 k of the Polished grade.

Here is a polished grade set for you!


Again it is in another "optional" plush case


Close up of the "polishing" on the 20c and 50c coin.

The sets were sent out in the Blue cardboard wallets that originally accompanied the 1967 decimal sets. The Treasury were incredibly lazy and seemed to have piles of the left over folders, some people have told me that theirs were sent in the Purple Predecimal folders that accompanied 1965 sets! The vinyl wallets we all knew loved came out only in time for the 1969 issues, which were released late in that year.


inside the packet



Outside of the packets (Blue was decimal, purple were predecimal)


An original set in "Pliofilm" wrapping, this was rigid and better quality than pink (Standard Uncriculated) sets which had a floppier packaging and are often stained.

Bizarrely more polished coins were issued than uncirculated ones, neither are particularly scarce ($20 - $30 a set at most).

There were no dollar coins issued in 1968, the only year where a commemorative large dollar or $5 piece was not issued.

In 1999 I went to NZ on holiday. A coin dealer I knew used to bag up current coins from various countries and sell them for about 50% of face value. Before my trip I asked him if he had any NZ coins, and he sold me a bag of change for about £4. Naturally I checked the coins before taking them to NZ and spending them, and I was delighted to find this!


I also have a 1968 polished set, bought from an English coin shop. It was in this vinyl wallet when I got it: