New Zealand 20 cent coin
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand 20 cent coin is currently the second lowest denomination coin
of the New Zealand dollar
. The 20 cent coin was introduced when the New Zealand dollar was introduced on 10 July, 1967, replacing the New Zealand florin coin. Its original reverse of a kiwi bird was changed in 1990 when the image was moved onto the one dollar coin
. In 2006 its size was reduced and its edge altered a to a Spanish flower
as part of a revision of New Zealand's coins, which also saw its alloy become nickel-plated steel..
currency, pegged to the British pound, was changed to a decimal dollar at a rate of two dollars to a pound. Therefore, 20 cents was worth a tenth of a poun. The 20 cent coin replaced the florin coin which had been worth two shillings, or a tenth of a pound.
Like the florin, the new 20 cent coin was made of cupronickel
, 28.58 mm in diameter, 11.31 grams in weight, and had 100% edge milling. The 20 cent coin retained the presence of a kiwi bird on the reverse of the florin, albeit in a different design.
The original obverses of 20 cent coins depicted Arnold Machin
's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1986 the portrait was changed to the the one by Raphael Maklouf
, which had been introduced to the coins of the pound sterling in the previous year. Mintings of this coin from 1990 are rare.
, a chief of the Ngāti Whakaue
iwi
(tribe) of Te Arawa
. In 1999, the portrait of the Queen was changed to a version by Ian Rank-Broadley
which had been introduced to the coins of the pound sterling in the previous year. No 20 cent coins were minted between 1991 and 2001 .
The existing 20 cent coins remained in circulation and greatly outnumbered the new design until 2006.
"Change for the better" silver coin replacement. The new 20 cent coin had the same reverse as the 1990 to 2006 minted coins and the same obverse as the 1999-onward coins, but the coins were reduced in size. The new 20 cent coins are made of steel, covered in a layer of nickel, copper, then nickel again. The new coins are 21.75 mm in diameter and 4 grams in weight. They have Spanish flower
milling around the edge, splitting it into seven sections. For their introduction in 2006, 116 million were minted, with a total value of NZ$23.2 million. The only other year of issue was 2008, where 80 million coins and a total value of NZ$16 million were issued .
The old 20 cent coins were demonetized on November 1, 2006.
. Values are in New Zealand dollars . No large 20 cent coins were minted in 1968, 1970, 1991-2001, 2003. Due to the large amount made for the introduction of the small 20 cent, none were minted in 2007 or from 2009 onwards.
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
of the New Zealand dollar
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
. The 20 cent coin was introduced when the New Zealand dollar was introduced on 10 July, 1967, replacing the New Zealand florin coin. Its original reverse of a kiwi bird was changed in 1990 when the image was moved onto the one dollar coin
New Zealand one dollar coin
The New Zealand one dollar coin is a coin of the New Zealand dollar. The current circulating coin was introduced on 11 February 1991 to replace the existing $1 note, although there had previously been occasional issues of commemorative "silver dollars", but they are rarely seen in circulation.The...
. In 2006 its size was reduced and its edge altered a to a Spanish flower
Spanish flower
The Spanish flower is a type of coin edging. It consists of a smooth edge separated into equal sections by seven indents.-Origin:The 50 Spanish peseta coin issued between 1990 and 2000 were the first that featured the Spanish flower....
as part of a revision of New Zealand's coins, which also saw its alloy become nickel-plated steel..
1967 to 1990
On 10 July 1967, New Zealand's former pre-decimal poundNew Zealand pound
The pound was the currency of New Zealand between 1840 and 1967. Like the British pound, it was subdivided into 20 shillings each of 12 pence. As a result of the great depression of the early 1930s, the New Zealand agricultural export market to the UK was badly affected...
currency, pegged to the British pound, was changed to a decimal dollar at a rate of two dollars to a pound. Therefore, 20 cents was worth a tenth of a poun. The 20 cent coin replaced the florin coin which had been worth two shillings, or a tenth of a pound.
Like the florin, the new 20 cent coin was made of cupronickel
Cupronickel
Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater...
, 28.58 mm in diameter, 11.31 grams in weight, and had 100% edge milling. The 20 cent coin retained the presence of a kiwi bird on the reverse of the florin, albeit in a different design.
The original obverses of 20 cent coins depicted Arnold Machin
Arnold Machin
Arnold Machin O.B.E, R.A. was a British artist, sculptor, coin and stamp designer.Machin was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1911. He started work at the age of 14 as an apprentice china painter at the Minton Pottery. During the Depression he learnt to sculpt at Stoke-on-Trent's Art School, which was...
's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1986 the portrait was changed to the the one by Raphael Maklouf
Raphael Maklouf
Raphael Maklouf is a sculptor, best known for designing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II used on the coins of many Commonwealth nations....
, which had been introduced to the coins of the pound sterling in the previous year. Mintings of this coin from 1990 are rare.
1990 to 2006
In 1990, the new $1 and $2 coins were released to replace the $1 and $2 notes. As the $1 depicted a kiwi also, the 20 cent's reverse had to be redesigned. The new reverse side featured the well-known Māori carving depicting PukakiPukaki
Pukaki was an 18th century chief of the Arawa iwi of New Zealand.His portrait appears on the New Zealand 20 cent coin minted from 1990 to 2006.The name has been used for several New Zealand items:...
, a chief of the Ngāti Whakaue
Ngati Whakaue
Ngāti Whakaue is a Māori iwi of New Zealand. The tribe lives in the Rotorua district and descends from the Arawa waka. The Ngāti Whakaue chief Pukaki is depicited on the New Zealand 20 cent coin.*...
iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
(tribe) of Te Arawa
Te Arawa
Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori iwi and hapu based in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty areas of New Zealand, with a population of around 40,000.The history of the Te Arawa people is inextricably linked to the Arawa canoe...
. In 1999, the portrait of the Queen was changed to a version by Ian Rank-Broadley
Ian Rank-Broadley
Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS is a British sculptor who has produced many acclaimed works, among which are several designs for British coinage....
which had been introduced to the coins of the pound sterling in the previous year. No 20 cent coins were minted between 1991 and 2001 .
The existing 20 cent coins remained in circulation and greatly outnumbered the new design until 2006.
2006 onwards
On July 31, 2006, the new 20 cent coin was released alongside the new 10 cent and 50 cent coins as part on the Reserve Bank'sReserve Bank of New Zealand
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is the central bank of New Zealand and is constituted under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989. The Governor of the Reserve Bank is responsible for New Zealand's currency and operating monetary policy. The Bank's current Governor is Dr. Alan Bollard...
"Change for the better" silver coin replacement. The new 20 cent coin had the same reverse as the 1990 to 2006 minted coins and the same obverse as the 1999-onward coins, but the coins were reduced in size. The new 20 cent coins are made of steel, covered in a layer of nickel, copper, then nickel again. The new coins are 21.75 mm in diameter and 4 grams in weight. They have Spanish flower
Spanish flower
The Spanish flower is a type of coin edging. It consists of a smooth edge separated into equal sections by seven indents.-Origin:The 50 Spanish peseta coin issued between 1990 and 2000 were the first that featured the Spanish flower....
milling around the edge, splitting it into seven sections. For their introduction in 2006, 116 million were minted, with a total value of NZ$23.2 million. The only other year of issue was 2008, where 80 million coins and a total value of NZ$16 million were issued .
The old 20 cent coins were demonetized on November 1, 2006.
Minting figures
According to Reserve Bank of New ZealandReserve Bank of New Zealand
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is the central bank of New Zealand and is constituted under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989. The Governor of the Reserve Bank is responsible for New Zealand's currency and operating monetary policy. The Bank's current Governor is Dr. Alan Bollard...
. Values are in New Zealand dollars . No large 20 cent coins were minted in 1968, 1970, 1991-2001, 2003. Due to the large amount made for the introduction of the small 20 cent, none were minted in 2007 or from 2009 onwards.
- 1967: $2,600,000
- 1969: $500,000
- 1971: $320,000
- 1972: $303,000
- 1973: $610,000
- 1974: $907,000
- 1975: $1,000,000
- 1976: $1,500,000
- 1977: $1,500,000
- 1978: $500,000
- 1979: $1,600,000
- 1980: $1,800,000
- 1981: $1,500,000
- 1982: $3,500,000
- 1983: $500,000
- 1984: $300,000
- 1985: $1,200,000
- 1986: $2,500,000
- 1987: $2,800,000
- 1988: $2,500,000
- 1989: $1,000,000
- 1990: $1,000,000
- 2002: $1,400,000
- 2004: $1,700,000
- 2005: $800,000
- 2006: $23,320,000
- 2008: $16,000,000