Catalog
1/2 Crown - George VI 1st type
| Issuer | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Year | 1937-1946 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 32 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR HP |
| Reverse description | The crowned shield of the New Zealand coat of arms is depicted centrally, featuring quarters with the Union Flag, four stars representing the Southern Cross, a fleece, a sheaf of wheat, and crossed hammers, surmounted by a St. Edward's Crown. The shield is set within an ornamental surround inspired by traditional Māori koru and kowhaiwhai decorative motifs, engraved by George Kruger Gray. The legend NEW·ZEALAND arcs above and HALF·CROWN arcs below, with the date flanked by dots appearing at the bottom of the field and the engraver's initials KG incorporated into the design. |
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| Additional information |
New Zealand's first coinage as an independent issuing authority — distinct from the earlier British-struck issues used in the territory — launched in 1933, but the halfcrown type wasn't introduced until 1937. The .500 silver standard was a deliberate cost-reduction measure adopted across the British Commonwealth during the interwar period, halving the fine silver content from the traditional .925 sterling that had defined British coinage for centuries.
Production continued through the Second World War, when silver supplies were under pressure and coin production competed with wartime material demands across all Commonwealth mints.