About 225 million years ago, the continents as we know them today were joined together and formed one super continent that scientists dubbed Pangea. That landmass later split into two continents, which were named Laurasia and Gondwana. Laurasia comprises North America, Europe, and Asia. Gondwana was made up of the continents South America, Africa, India, and Antarctica/Australia. Roughly 85 million years ago, Antarctica split apart from Australia, and Zeelandia broke off as well, which is known as New Zealand today.
New Zealand geographically consists of two islands, the North Island and the South Island. Both islands have beautiful beaches, plenty of mountains, rich rainforests, and splendid natural beauty that can be seen throughout the lands. These islands were first inhabited by Polynesian peoples who discovered them by using canoes. The indigenous inhabitants are known as the Mori, and scientific evidence states that between the mid-13th and mid-14th century, the city of Wellington was first inhabited by the Mori peoples.
The mother tongue of the Mori is called Te Reo Mori, which is spoken by almost 200,000 people in New Zealand. Settlements were established by these early oceanic explorers, and the first European explorer to reach New Zealand was a Dutchman named Abel Tasman. He was in the service of the Dutch East India Company, which was also known as the VOC. As the head explorer, Tasman was put in charge of discovering new trade routes and was encouraged to partner with locals in native lands. Tasman started his journey from Batavia, which is modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia, and he set sail to explore the Southern Pacific Region. His first stop was the island of Mauritius, and he continued his journey to Southern Australia. On December 13, 1642, Tasman reached the northwest coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
Tasman named his first discovery of this new land Staten Landt, but he soon changed it to Nieuw Zeeland in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland. Tasman continued to explore this region. He reached the northern tip of the South Island and anchored in a place called Golden Bay on December 17, 1642. He and his crew encountered a Mori tribe called the Ngti Tumatakkiri, who followed Tasman and his crew into the bay during the night. Accounts from Tasman mentioned that some type of horn was blown by the natives. His crew attempted to communicate with music of their own and nothing happened that night. The next day, the Dutch fired a cannon, and a skirmish ensued. Four of Tasman’s men were killed, and he fled Golden Bay. He continued to explore up along the west coast of the North Island. He left New Zealand for good at the North Cape on January 3, 1643, and sailed on to the island of Tonga.
The second European explorer that reached New Zealand was Captain James Cook from England. Cook boarded a ship named the HMS Endeavor on August 26, 1768, and sailed around the southernmost tip of Chile, which is known as Cape Horn. He continued his journey by first reaching the island of Tahiti to observe the planet Venus pass in front of the Sun, which is an event known as the Transit of Venus. Cook enlisted the services of a local Tahitian priest named Tupaia as a navigator and translator prior to his tour of New Zealand. Tupaia was also familiar with more than 70 islands within this oceanic region, and he drew maps alongside Cook. Soon after, Cook visited three islands in the Pacific, which he claimed for England, and one was the plush tourist destination of Borabora. The captain and his men reached New Zealand, according to Mori accounts, on October 6, 1768. Cook’s first encounter with the Mori was not pleasant, and some of the natives were killed. However, relations improved going forward as Tupaia played an integral role in Cook diplomatically communicating with the Mori during his tour of New Zealand. This first journey of circumnavigation of the North and South Islands took approximately six to seven months. Cook was the first to draw a map of New Zealand, and Tupaia was with him during each stop.
Cook left New Zealand’s South Island on March 31, 1770, once he had concluded his surveying. He continued with his voyages to Australia and claimed the east coast for the country of England, which became present-day New South Wales. A little less than 20 years later, a penal colony was established in New South Wales. Cook and his crew had to navigate the tricky waters of the Great Barrier Reef with great care and suffered minimal damage. The captain and his crew left Australia on October 6, 1770, then sailed to Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) for repairs and a much-needed respite. Many of Cook’s men had contracted malaria and dysentery and sadly died in Jakarta. Tupaia, Cook’s mediator with the Mori peoples, unfortunately passed away on December 20, 1770, from a ship-borne illness two months later. Cook set sail for his return to England a few days later. Cook returned to New Zealand two more times in 1773 and 1777. Cook had discovered many islands, and a few of them were named the Hervey Islands. In 1821, these islands were renamed the Cook Islands in honor of Captain James Cook.
The first European settlers arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, on January 20, 1840. Captain William Hobson from the Royal Navy was also sent to New Zealand as counsel to entice the indigenous peoples to diplomatically sign over their lands to Britain. If he could complete this task, he would be assigned the role of Lieutenant Governor over the lands. On February 6, 1840, the Mori signed the Treaty of Waitangi. This agreement effectively allowed the Mori to own and protect their lands. The indigenous peoples also were given the ability to sell their land to the British Crown whenever possible, and the Mori would have the same equal rights as the new colonists.
Accounts vary as to whether the Treaty of Waitangi held up its promises, as many chieftains lost their land grants. On November 16, 1840, the British Crown issued a Charter for Erecting the Colony of New Zealand, stating that it would be a separate colony from New South Wales, Australia. Coins from various countries circulated within New Zealand during the early 1800s, which were brought in by traders and whalers. These coins were valued based on their precious-metal content, which was either gold or silver. About 20 years later, in 1858, British coinage became legal tender; by 1860, it was New Zealand’s official currency. Australia was also under British rule at the time and the Australian gold half-sovereign and sovereign were commonly found in circulation as well.
Enterprising individuals began to manufacture tokens for commerce due to coin shortages and demand for smaller denominations. There is a particular 1 penny token struck by Milner & Thompson in the city of Christchurch depicting a Mori warrior that is popular with collectors today. The token displays a close-up view of a Mori warrior's face, which exhibits his T moko or tattoos. In Eastern Polynesian culture, it’s common for the indigenous peoples to sport tattoos.
For centuries, the Mori have practiced this art, and the skin would be carved with a tool known as a uhi. This tool could be serrated or plain edged, depending on the patterns desired. It could be made from shark teeth, some type of bone, and iron as well. Colors that were added to the skin were derived from burnt wood, caterpillars, animal fats, and gum from trees. Tattoos were generally used to identify chieftains, tribes, a special occasion in life, and were used as body art. Traditional T moko ceased within the Mori culture during the mid-19th century because of the perception from their European counterparts and cultural changes. Inks and needles were used for T moko afterward, creating a smoother look. However, traditional methods have recently seen a resurgence in New Zealand.
Coinage from Great Britain and Australia continued circulating in unison within New Zealand for about 35 years. In 1897, the Imperial Coinage Act was passed, and only British coins were legal tender in New Zealand. After World War I, gold was withdrawn from circulation in Great Britain, and silver coinage became debased. This meant that coinage, which was .925 silver, was reduced to .500 fineness beginning in 1920. It wasn’t until 1933 that coinage for New Zealand was struck at the Royal Mint of London. Five denominations were released: the 3 pence, 6 pence, 1 shilling, 1 florin, and half crown. All of the coins bear the portrait of King George V, which was designed by Percy Metcalfe.
The 3 pence reverse displays two Mori clubs crossed that are known as a Patu, and the 1 shilling reverse displays a crouching Mori warrior holding a spear. The reverse of the 1 florin coin displays the national bird of New Zealand, which is the Kiwi. None of these first-year coins are difficult to find in uncirculated condition. However, 1933 circulation strikes in PCGS MS65 cost collectors between $200 to $900, depending on the denomination. Only 20 of the 1933 proof sets were minted. The last complete set that was sold at Stack’s Bowers Galleries in January of 2023 brought a little over $15,000, with all coins being at or above the PCGS PR65 grade level.
The same type of coins and denominations were issued in 1934. In 1935, one more coin was added to the lineup: the Waitangi Crown. The obverse design remained unchanged, and the reverse displays a Mori Chief Tamati Waka Nene and British Captain William Hobson, R.N. shaking hands. This coin commemorates the 95th anniversary of the Waitangi Treaty, which was signed in 1840. A total of 468 coins were struck in a proof finish, 364 were distributed in sets, and 104 were sold by themselves. The uncirculated version of this is slightly scarcer than the proof; 600 pieces were issued, and it’s not as easy to find in general. Nevertheless, the uncirculated version is valued at around $8,000 in PCGS MS65, which is the same price as the proof version. Another rarity from 1935 is the 3 pence, of which only 40,000 coins were issued for circulation. A PCGS AU58 costs collectors about $500 and, in better grades the coin commands higher prices.
In 1940, the half penny and the penny were struck in bronze and introduced into circulation under the rule of George VI. No rarities for circulation strikes existed within these denominations throughout the 1940s. Coins remained unchanged up until 1946 in terms of the reverse design and metal content. Beginning in 1947, coins that were struck from .500 silver in New Zealand were now coined in copper-nickel. Any colony under British rule saw their coinage fully debased by 1947. The cost of silver had increased from 1943 to 1946 by a little over 100%, and economically it didn’t make sense for Great Britain to produce coins in silver going forward. Also, Great Britain had found itself in debt to the United States because of World War II. Munitions and weaponry that were sold to England by the U.S. during the war had to be repaid, and some of these debts were settled in gold. When the gold was usurped, silver ingots were sent overseas as a form of payment as well.
The crown denomination was reintroduced in 1949 and again struck in .500 silver. The Royal Mint issued the coin for the king's proposed visit to New Zealand in 1949, but he was unable to complete his trek due to illness. This coin can commonly be found in uncirculated condition and can be bought for about $50 or less. The proof version of the coin that was last sold by Heritage Auctions in 2022 took a little over $15,000. It is estimated that a mere three examples were coined, but that number is probably between 10 and 15 pieces. A complete proof set from 1949 is exceptionally scarce, and only one PCGS Set Registry member named Bilby 28 has completed the set to date. Proof issues from the 1940s are generally very difficult to obtain, and it’s estimated that about 20 were struck for most denominations. That estimate is probably very high as proof coins from this era are rare. The same statement can be made for most of the proof coinage from the 1950s, with the exception of 1953.
On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth II was officially crowned as Queen of England. A new copper-nickel crown coin was struck for New Zealand. The obverse was designed by Mary Gillick and issued in the new Queen’s honor. Proof sets that contain the Crown coin were struck at the Royal Mint, and the mintage was 7,000 pieces. Full sets can be purchased in the aftermarket selling for about $100, and the PCGS Set Registry offers a set titled 1953 New Zealand Proof Set for collectors to consider building. A matte proof version was struck, and the estimated mintage is less than 10 pieces. A third version of the coin exists, which is known as the VIP Proof. The planchets for this coin were specially prepared. They exhibit brilliant frost, and the coins display sharper contrast than those issued in the standard proof sets. A VIP Crown graded PCGS PR65 sells for about $5,000 or more in the marketplace today. These coins were made for dignitaries, mint employees, and very important persons. Coin designs of New Zealand remained unchanged for the next 12 years, until 1965.
In 1965, proof coins were struck for each of the seven denominations, and a complete set is worth about $7,000 today. Only 10 sets were reportedly issued. An alternative to this expensive set that displays beautiful quality is the 1965 prooflike set, which can be purchased for about $25. In 1967, the new mint of New Zealand was established in the city of Auckland, but coins were still minted at the Royal Mint. A decimal system was introduced with seven denominations: the 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, and the dollar. The new Queen Elizabeth obverse was designed by Arnold Machin, many of the reverse designs depict nature in some way with the exception of the 10 cents and 50 cents. The 10 cents reverse features a facemask of the indigenous Mori peoples; the 50 cents coin displays the ship HMS Endeavor, which Captain James Cook manned to fully map New Zealand.
The dollar was issued in 1967 and reverse design would change from time to time. For example, one year the coin paid homage to Captain James Cook, The New Zealand Games, and Waitangi Day. The reverse themes for the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents remained the same essentially until 1989. Newer designs were adopted, and the New Zealand Mint began focusing on creating commemorative issues. Some of the most recent issues include Scooby Doo, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, and Disney princesses. The New Zealand Mint also produces coins for the countries of Palau, Fiji, Niue, and the Cook Islands. These modern issues are beautifully crafted, colorful, and popular all over the world.