NEW COINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 154, 3 July 1939, Page 9

NEW COINS.

CENTENNIAL DESIGNS. HALF-CROWN, PENNY H4LF PENNY. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, .Sunday. The Government ha« approved desiir'is tor a Centennial half-crown, and nK<> for n bronze penny and half penny to complete the distinctive New Zealand series of coins. In milking this announcement to-day the Prime Minister. Mr. Savage, sairl that, n» with (lie Dominion".; lirst distinctive issue of silver eoiiii*. the workwas being <loTie by tln> Royal Mint. London, and it wn« expected' that the initial .-upply would reach New Zealand in ample time for iesue at thu Centenary.

The successful designer is Mr. L. C. Mitchell, of Wellington, who was also responsible for the design approved for recent iseue.s of Xew Zealand .stamp*. The half-crown he.irs on the obverse the uncrowned effigy of the King, with the inscription "George VI. King Kmperor." The reverse ha« the figure of a Maori woman against a background showing the suu overhead with a Maori wharepuni, or hut, and puhara, or loo'cout wtage, on her riyht. contrasted with modern buildings on her left. A scroll below hen I'm the dales "IH4O- - and above is tin: inscription ''.New Zealand Centennial half-crown.'' Both the jicniiy and the half-penny have the same obverse :ie the halfcrowd. Tin , reverse of the penny bearn a representation of a tui perched on a brunch of kowhai with the inscription "Mew Zealand one penny" and the year. The reverse, of the half-penny has .1 representation of a tiki, with Maori ornamental scrolls on cither side. I'lu , inscription is "New Zealand halfpenny', and the year is recorded below.