New Zealand 1967-71 Set of Die Trials ex Pittman
Ex John Jay Pittman. Set of seven die trials for the proposed change to decimal currency in New Zealand. Planchets for the proposed coins 1c- $1, The 20c and $1 with milled edge and the remaining plain edge (although this is impossible to tell now they are in NGC slabs).
It appears that the numerals on the fifty cent through the one cent trial have been engraved -except the 20 cent which appears struck. The fifty cent, twenty cent, two cent, and one cent have been struck with a rim and a representation of the Tower of London (which the Royal Mint occupied from 1279-1810) prior to the numerals being engraved on them. The ten cent and five cent die trials have had the numeral engraved on an unstruck planchet. This probably explains the lower grades for these items as it is very difficult (if not impossible) to assign a numerical grade to an unstruck planchet.
The dollar trial is 36 millimeters in diameter which contrasts with the actual New Zealand dollars of the period which were 38.8mm. This matches the dollar pattern found on the Museum of Victoria website which was the property of Robert Muldoon. Muldoon was the New Zealand minister for finance and was in charge of the introduction of decimal coinage in to New Zealand.
Coin Information
Country: | New Zealand |
Denomination: | $1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, 1c |
Year: | 1967-1971 |
Grade: | AU58-MS63 |
NGC Reference: | 1728426-005 1728426-006 1728426-007 1728426-008 1728426-009 1728426-010 1728426-011 |