NEW HALF-CROWN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 11, 13 January 1940, Page 7

NEW HALF-CROWN.

CENTENNIAL DESIGN. PENNY AND HALFPENNY. EARI.IT CIRCULATION. With the appearance of the special Centennial half-crown, New Zealand's philatelic and numisfatic celebration of the Centennial is complete. The 12 special postage stamps were issued at the beginning of last week, and the halfcrown lias been placed in.circulation during the last few days. This is the only special Centennial coin, the inscription on the reverse reading ""New Zealand Centennial Half Crown."

The new penny and halfpenny coins, although dated 1940, are not special Centennial issues. They will be minted in successive years with' the necessary I alteration in date.- I

The half-crown bears on its obverse side the uncrowned effigy of the King, with the inscription "George VI., King Emperor." The reverse side has the figure of a Maori woman against a background which shows the sun and its rays overhead. A scroll below bears the dates "1840-1940." Above the 1840 section are a Maori-wharepuni, or hut, a puliara, or lookout stage, and a cabbage tree. That part of the design is symbolical of New Zealand as it was in 1840. Above the 1940 part of the scroll is a group of modern city buildings, symbolical of the present time. Round the whole is the inscription "New Zealand Centennial Half Crown."

It will be generally admitted that the Royal Mint has, made an excellent job of the design. Very £he detail is discernible, and there has been a close adherence to the design as originally drawn by Mr. L. C. Mitchell, Wellington, although the Royal Mint found it necessary to make several minor modifications and to cut out some of the detail to improve?* the general effectiveness of the design.. Several people have, at first glance, mistaken the Maori watch-tower for the Exhibition tower, but this is a mistake likely to be made onlv through a cursory examination.

The two new bronze coins, which at present in their pristine purity look as near like gold coins as any that New Zealanders are likely to jingle in their pockets, have the same observe as the half-crown. On the reverse of the penny are a tui and a kowliai blossom, and on the 'reverse of the halfpenny is a heitiki with Maori ornamental scrolls on each side. The inscriptions are "New Zealand, One. I'enny, * 1940," and "New Zealand, Half Penny, 1940," with no inenbion of the Centennial.