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 Replies: 192 / Views: 22,982 |
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Pillar of the Community
 4628 Posts |
Aarrgghhh!!! I do have a better 1937 sixpence, its on Page 5 if you all want to see it.
I got confused in a haze of 16th and 18th century shillings, Fijian mania and a load of very ex$pen$ive Australian Florins!!
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Moderator
 United States
189767 Posts |
I am enjoying the yearly rundown.  |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
My pleasure, could be a bit more erratic here on out as the years of silver will run out soon and also had some personal issues of late which are not resolving themselves.
Edited by Princetane
01/17/2022 3:48 pm
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Moderator
United States
189767 Posts |
Take care of yourself first. We are not going anywhere.  |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
I will, but will get 1939 out of the way as it was a basic year. 1940 is a bigger year, so may deal with that in a few days. There were no coins issued in 1938 and thus no article. The Reserve Bank obviously thought that enough coins had been issued in 1933 to 1937 for the time being. They were wrong. 1939 in coins1939 was not much better as just 2 denominations were minted in 1939 and it was the sparsest year for coins excluding the 2 years with nothing issued (1938 and 1966). Only the 3d and 6d were issued dated 1939, but in decent numbers.   1939 Threepence in EF condition (All gradings are British grading not Sheldon)   1939 Sixpence gEF/AU condition, a recent purchase! Coins issued 2/6, 2/-, 1/- = None 6d - 700,000 3d - 3,000,000 Total coins issued 3,700,000 - More than 1936 but less in denominations used. FV - £55,000 Most of the coins were threepences which saw an insatiable demand and again I stress, many probably were lost or mutilated, these thin and tiny coins were easily lost (The British had switched to a chunky brass coin, but this had not affected NZ or anywhere else but Fiji after 1947 and the Channel Islands in the 1950s). Finding high grade Threepences are quite easy and the EF coin here cost me just $10 back in 2019. Most threepences actually besides 1935 and the 1942 One diamond are much cheaper than other coins in high grades and UNC coins are not unknown. Most UNC threepences only catalogur around $30 - $80 depending on the date and $10 - $20 for cupronickel. In fact finding UNC QE2 era threepences after 1956 should be very cheap (Under $2 each). The sixpence is a more elusive beast and apart from 1933/34, the issue of them always saw very low numbers. It was not until 1943, that a big number was minted again and as you will see, high grade 1940 - 1942 Sixpences are very expensive and hard to find. The one I have here was bought last year in a auction lot that had my nice 1936 and some 1943/44 coins (More common in similarly high grades). Of course the big thing that happened in 1939 was WW2 beginning, the war clouds now started to rain and we got thunderstorms and gales with the Nazi war machine crunching into gear. Somehow there was uninterrupted coin issuing through the war and the war years saw good numbers of coins issued. 1940 to 1942 are a bit erratic, but 1943 would prove to be a big year, 1944 not so much, but 1945 was a huge year too. Finally and it will be discussed in "1940" the Penny and Halfpenny coin were added to the line up. Despite being dated 1940, these coins along with the special halfcrown were designed and issued in 1939. The first bronze coins dated 1940 appeared in circulation in early December 1939! It is a rare case of coins showing up, not just on time, but before it. |
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Moderator
United States
189767 Posts |
You were right, basic and rather quick! We will patiently wait for the 1940 write-up.   |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
Here you are 1940 in coins - Part 11940 was a big year for coinage as 3 new coins were added, 2 were permanent additions, one was a one off only.  The new bronze Penny (AU), Halfpenny (VF) and Halfcrown (EF+) 1940 was New Zealand's centenary year and there was a big exhibition which was planned before WW2 started and went ahead anyway despite the war. It would have been a colossal hit had there not been a war. It was quite successful. Still after two 1939s Worlds Fairs in the USA, a 3rd one seemed overkill. It was NZ's last ever exhibition. Stamps and coins were designed as part of the package. It was seen as a good excuse to finally add the bronze coins to our line up as well as the fact that war was on and coin shipments became more risky, also as imperial coin being shipped half way across the world became expensive and risky, if the coins were minted for NZ, then the NZ govt paid for them - if its British coins, then the risk is British etc. A competition was organised in NZ for designs for the new Penny and Halfpenny coins, to be the same size as the British and Australian coins. No farthing was called for as the denomination had ceased to be used (We had no farthing stamps). Leonard Cornwall Mitchell, a stamp designer won with James Berry coming second (He got his own back later). The coins showed a Maori heitiki amulet (Halfpenny) surrounded by whorls (Maori Koru artwork) and the Penny showed a Tui in a Kowhai Tree (Parson Bird). The designs were adapted for the coins by Percy Metcalfe and the first pennies and halfpence arrived in December 1939, but dated 1940. They were an immediate hit, although Imperial and Australian pence were still legal tender, no more of them were imported.  Also issued was a Centenary Halfcrown, this was also designed by Mitchell and shows a Maori wahine holding her arms over a Maori village and a 1940 City scene with the standard Art Deco skyscrapers (Some cities scored a few 9 and 10 story Deco buildings in the 1920s and 1930s, but none had that many!!!). Only 100,800 were minted and most became collectors pieces and 90% are VF - EF examples of the coin, mine is a full EF. The design was only used in 1940 and no standard design halfcrowns were issued in that year. They returned in 1941. |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
1940 in coins - Part 2Although the 1940s saw at least 5 of the 7 denominations issued most years (Except 1949), numbers of each coin varied from high to scarce. 1940, 41 and 42 were easily the years of the most mixing, 1944 was a scarce year all around except the bronze coins. And you will find 1945 - 1948 was a time of plenty for minting coins! This contrasts with the 1950s which saw many years of low mintages. 1940 was the first year of all 7 denominations being issued, however finding the 3d, 6d and 1/- in high grade is very challenging due to lowish numbers issued.  The rest of 1940s coins, Florin (gVF ), Shilling (cleaned VG  ), Sixpence (Almost VF  ), Threepence (AU  ) Numbers issued Halfcrown - 100,800 (Centennial Design only) Florin - 500,000 Shilling - 500,000 Sixpence - 800,000 Threepence - 2,000,000 Penny - 5,424,000 Halfpenny - 3,432,000 Total coins - 12,756,800 As you can see, numbers of all the coins down to and including the sixpence are low. The lowest 3 coins are high by comparison, but the 3d number is the lowest number so far. The number of pennies is very high and the penny went on to be the most issued coin in NZ's predecimal era. Despite this the penny and halfpenny had severe shortages in the war years and again in the 1960s towards decimalisation. Still there was a huge first year mintage of bronze and 2/3 of all 1940's coins were bronze. No reason is given for the low numbers of the more valuable coins is given, but I guess there were just enough in use. The Threepences as explained were fiddly and the pennies were very useful coins as well, often 2 had to be given in change. None of the other coins, if changed and tendered properly needed more than 1 for sums of change under 5/-. Apart from the 3d and 6d, this was the first full issue of coinage since 1937 and the number of coins issued was still a patch on the big years of 1933 and 1934.  Head shot - I won't show too many more of these until 1948. For the collector, the 1940 coins are very easy in average (VG - Fine) for all coins to the Halfcrown, that coin is never found below VF and expect about $20 for a manky VF one and $50 or more for a really nice one like mine, a fully UNC coin is only around $80 - $100, but good luck finding one! The Florin down to Threepence are very hard to find above Fine or goodFine and my VF/EF group were in the $30 - $50 bracket per coin. Average examples are $4 - $10 each. Pennies and Halfpence are always cheap up to VF, their average condition, although pre 1947 are often in the high Fines and even VG grades. Once a Penny is EF or higher so are prices, my AU/EF penny with lustre was $30 to me down from $75. Unbelivably a high grade Penny or Halfpenny from 1940 - 1950 and 1954/55 can cost over $100 in UNC for some dates, after 1956 and the good years of 1951 and 1952 they are much cheaper. Overall, 1940 is a more challenging year if you want better than average (VG or so) examples of anything. Next 1941 - the war deepens.
Edited by Princetane
01/19/2022 12:42 pm
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Moderator
United States
189767 Posts |
A very interesting year, especially considering the impending war. I like the Centenary Halfcrown. I can only speculate that the exaggerated building representation was intended to spark some sort of ambition, although it was likely just artistic license.  |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
Artistic licence totally, there was a rash of building in the late 1920s killed off by the depression and again between 1936 and 1941 (There was some residual work into early 1940/41).
Unlike the first war, conscription was not mandatory in WW2 and they were more stringent with recruit quality, but most signed up and those who did not had to do homeguard work. This involved building barracks and war time hospitals, hangars etc.
Once the war looked it was almost over, building began again but was mostly homes and residential buildings like schools, shops, hospitals etc as NZ had a major housing shortage since the Depression and State Houses (Section 8 to you Americans) started in 1937. Between 1946 and 1955 some 90,000 new homes were built, most free standing.
Large tower blocks started in the very late 1950s and only really took off in 1963/64. Brutalism came in a few years later and it died off after 1978, another boom in the 1980s, mid 1990s and 2000 - 2008. There was also another miniboom in 2016 - 2019 - but Covid has killed that off (Lockdowns and labour shortages).
Next 1941.
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
1941 in coins1941 would be the sparsest year in a while, despite coins being issued for every denomination - numbers were very low even of the bronze coins, which were usually high mintages.  1941 Penny and Halfpenny, both are "average" Numbers minted 2/6, - 776,000 2/-, - 820,000 1/-, - 360,000 6d, - 440,000 3d, - 1,760,000 1d, - 1,200,000 ½d, - 960,000 Total coins minted - 6,316,000 Face Value - About £237,000 The mintages of Bronze were fairly low and may have been due to the high number from 1940 and people may have still been getting used to them. Plus there was still plenty of Imperial and Australian bronze coins in use, as there was no recall of these coins ever, except possibly the farthings.  1941 3d (Almost EF), 6d (High VF) The threepence saw reasonable numbers issued, but even then most are worn - it was extremely hard to find the one I have above. I bought it in mid 2021 - like 1940 and 1936 the coins are super plentiful in average condition, but hard in VF, impossible in EF and forget it in UNC. The 6d was even harder (It may be the first and last time I spend $80 per coin on a 3d and 6d when average examples cost $2 each!).  The 3 high coins, all EF or almost so. The 3 higher coins had low mintages too, especially the shilling with just 360k. The Halfcrown was the first to use the standard design since 1937 and would be used until 1965. In general 1941 was a hard year. It was the worst in the war with low mintages and supply issues given it was the apex of Axis expansion and all of the Empire countries suffered coin and stamp shortages. It was also the year the English loaned several million ounces of silver off the Americans and they would have to pay it back after the war. Bear in mind the Americans did not enter the war until December 1941 with Japan's attack on Pearl Harbour. Before then, they were supportive of the allies (After all Canada in the north was involved), but not fighting, hence why they got 1941 and 1942 model cars and we had none after 1939. As you will see the silver loan would come back and bite us all on the behind, for now in 1941 it seemed we were on borrowed time and borrowed silver! Next 1942 - the war persists.
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Moderator
United States
189767 Posts |
Very interesting! Quote:
Next 1942 - the war persists. |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
1942 in coins - the war persists1942 would be an interesting year, very coins above the 3d issued, but good numbers of that and the bronze and also 2 error coins also issued.  My 6d (VG  ), Penny and Halfpenny (VF but stained as heck) Coins issued 2/6, - 240,000 2/-, - 150,000 1/-, - 240,000 6d, - 360,000 3d, - 3,120,000 1d, - 3,120,000 ½d, - 1,920,000 Errors (Numbers included in above mintage figures) 1/-, "Broken Back" - about 80,000 3d, "One Diamond" - about 250,000 Total coins issued for 1942 - 9,150,000 (But only 990k 6d or higher) Face Value - About £122,000  Spot the difference! Left coin (gVF) - right (VG) 1942 was the peak of the war with Japan on the expanison and Nazi Germany at its peak. It was also a year the Americans stepped in helping the Australians mint their coins and they minted all the coins for use in Fiji, which was having a major coin shortage (Given ultra low mintages after 1936). NZ was happy to have coins minted in the UK using the borrowed American silver again. Most of the coins were Pennies and Threepences which made up 70% of everything minted. The numbers of the Florin and Halfcrowns are amongst the lowest ever and both are very scarce above average condition. My Florin is basically a stained EF and a nice piece, the Halfcrown is barely VF and near the bottom of what I consider acceptable. I may upgrade it, but EF would be 3 figures.  Standard shilling (gVF), Halfcrown (VF), Florin (EF - cloudy) There was also a second shilling which had a "broken back" flaw and this coin is even more scarce with just 80k or so minted (That is still around 22% of the mintage!). My example is ultra worn (Good) and about as bad as my coins get. Better grade examples are rare and very expensive so this will do for now!  Close up of the Broken back! (2020 shot)  All the errors together! (2021 shot, the standard shilling has been upgraded since this one) The broken back error was a die break that made the spine look incomplete along with the edge of the back meeting the warriors piupiu (grass skirt). The other great error is the one diamond threepence. The right diamond is missing on about 250k of the 3 million plus 3d coins. This is also scarce but not as rare as the broken back. Collecting the three lower coins is easy, but the sixpence up is hard in average condition and near impossible in EF or better condition. Such coins generally do not exist in great numbers. The errors are harder still. As you can see, I don't have a better 1942 6d yet. Next 1943 - A good year in a bad time.
Edited by Princetane
01/22/2022 7:29 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9467 Posts |
Princetane thanks for the info on the broken back variety. I wondered how many were made.
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
80,000 in 1942, but they have found some from 1958 and 1965 - seems it was a major die error.
Details in those years!
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Replies: 192 / Views: 22,982 |
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Posted 01/17/2022 12:27 pm
