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1/2 Penny - Elizabeth II 1st portrait
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Year | 1953-1965 |
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| Engraver(s) | Obverse: Mary Gillick Reverse: L. C. Mitchell |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and draped right-facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, modelled by Mary Gillick, occupying the central field. The Queen's hair is elegantly arranged with a laurel sprig above and a braided chignon at the nape, rendered in fine relief with meticulous detail. The legend QUEEN·ELIZABETH·THE·SECOND runs around the full circumference, interrupted by a small cross at the lower left. The engraver's initials M·G· appear on the truncation of the bust. The design is bordered by a continuous beaded inner rim. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
New Zealand retained the halfpenny well past the point of practical use, and its eventual abolition in 1965 came as part of the preparatory arithmetic for decimalisation, which followed in 1967. By the final years of issue, the coin's purchasing power had eroded to near nothing — a halfpenny bought little even in 1953. The two KM varieties reflect a modification to the obverse legend made after the coronation portrait was adjusted for Commonwealth standardisation.