New Zealand Coin Varieties

The Google is a fine place to look for images. The one dot threepence (supposed to have two, one on each side of the date), broken wing ( Grease Filled Die giving blurred look), and broken back (the warrior image has a gap) are all a few clicks away.
I've found a new site to try out looking things up tonight: http://www.trademe.co.nz/

Mr T: As you probably know, the designs for the Gillick busts for Elizabeth 11 were re mastered, sometime in 1954. The '53, '54, '55 and a few '56 pennies exhibit a very indistinct shoulder strap. Elizabeth, when sitting for the coinage bust was no doubt wearing a strap but it was under her blouse, which is not obvious to see anyway, suggesting that Her Majesty was bare shouldered.

If you look at the bodice (chest) area of the bust, there is a light fold of material to be seen on the original bust. This can be readily seen on business strikes of the '53, '54 '55 and a few of the '56 penny issue, which came off the first master die. So she did actually have a shoulder strap; it is just very dificult or next to impossible to find.

I have a proof '53 half crown which also exhibits this lack of obvious detail in the area of the shoulder strap.

There were several other problems that the first master also had, which includes indistinct detail around H.H.the Q's ear.

Most Commonwealth countries did not use the master die after 1954 and even fewer in 1955. The New Zealand penny used the first master die for a few coins into 1956, after which the second master die was used.

The second master die addressed the problems of indistinctness, and so the shoulder strap area was re cut as well as in the area of the ear.

Mt T: I remember reading a good article relevent to this thread in the
Australiasian Coin and Banknote Magazine
some time ago, but I was aware of the basic facts before then.

The original dies were mastered and re mastered by the British Royal Mint for British coins, and all British Commonwealth Countries that required them.

I think that New Zealland was the last country to use the new re mastered dies, and that change happened early in 1956. That is why the '56 strapless penny is scarce. For most countries that change happened in 1954. The obverse legend did not have to be changed as in most other commonwealth Countries, where "F.D." was added, for coinages other than N.Z.

Hi Mr T. I don't own this book yet, but try 'The John Bertrand New Zealand coin & banknote catalouge" 2013 edition by Anthony W. Grant... It looks (from the little I have seen of it) to be rather detailed.

Also, try Google for the following New Zealand varieties ...

1945 Penny burnished
1956 Penny strapless
1965 Penny (normally only issued in sets)
1942 Threepence with only one dot beside the date
1956 Threepence strapless
1955 Threepence With 2 dots on the Queen's shoulder
1957 Sixpence Strapless
1965 Sixpence broken wing
1942 Shilling Broken back
1958 Shilling Broken back
1962 Shilling No horizon
1965 Shilling Broken back
1946 Florin Flat back
1950 Halfcrown High far diamond type 2
1965 Halfcrown (Normally only issued in sets)

Yeah, I'll probably check out the latest catalogue as I read that there are pictures of some of these varieties.
I'm busy at the moment so I'll post more details later but I think the no sea 5c has the ocean to the right of the tuatara missing and the wart nose is a visible bump on the Queen's nose.

I checked my book and the no sea 5c is for 1967, the wart on the nose 5c is 1999 and some 1967 50c pieces have a dot over the 1 too.

No worries.

I've read about an inscribed edge 50c in the guide book (mintage 100,000?) but there weren't any other details (like what the inscription even was) so I didn't give it any attention.

Mr T, point of interest.. I was in Dunedin Stamp Centre yesterday, they have a NZ $2 'kingfisher' coin for sale for $15. Apparently 1993 was the only year NZ changed the design of our $2 coin. You have probably already read about this, but just in-case this is new info for you I thought it might be worth posting.