|
New Zealand Series Honors Iconic Bird
 | By Kerry Rodgers, World Coin News
November 14, 2008 |
New Zealand has announced a new annual series of legal tender coins to be issued over the next three years to both celebrate and promote conservation of New Zealand's iconic kiwi - that chicken-sized, endangered, half-blind bird that can't fly, has hairy feathers, nostrils in the end of its nose and lays the largest egg in the world for its body size.
A different reverse design is proposed for each annual release. That of the 2009 coins is both contemporary and uncluttered with a generalized kiwi placed alongside a map of the three main islands of New Zealand.
Three different versions are available:
" A 1/4 ounce (7.777 grams), .999 fine gold, 26 mm, proof $10 with a mintage of 1,000
" A 1 ounce (31.635 grams), .999 fine silver, 40 mm, proof $1 with a mintage of 8,000
" A 1 ounce (31.635 grams) .999 fine silver, 40 mm, BU $1 with a mintage of 10,000.
All obverse designs show the traditional effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley. All coins have been struck by BH Mayer's Kunstprägeanstalt GmbH.
The coins go on sale to the public mid-December when they can be sourced from New Zealand Post online at www.nzpost.co.nz/coins, by e-mail at collectables@nzpost.co.nz, or through snail mail at Collectables and Solutions Centre, Private Bag 3001, Wanganui 4540, New Zealand.
Add to: del.icio.us digg
With this article: Email to friend Print
| On November 18, 2008 Koichi Ito said  |
Something to add? Notice an error? Comment on this article. | |