Catalog
20 Dollars - Elizabeth II 70th Birthday
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Thomas De La Rue & Company, London, United Kingdom |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central composition centred on a vignette of the Karearea (New Zealand Falcon) set against Mount Tapuaenuku, the highest peak of the Kaikoura Ranges. A sprig of Marlborough Rock Daisy occupies the lower left corner, providing a regional botanical motif within the overall design. |
| Reverse lettering | RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND TWENTY DOLLARS KAREAREA |
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| Comments |
The Reserve Bank issued this commemorative $20 specifically to mark Elizabeth II's 70th birthday in 1996 — one of the few instances where New Zealand produced a special-edition banknote for a royal occasion rather than a straightforward circulating replacement. Thomas De La Rue handled the printing, as they did for the standard New Zealand series of the period, so production was unremarkable in itself.
Terry Chipper's engraver credit is worth noting: De La Rue employed a small, highly specialized team of intaglio engravers at their London facility, and named credits on commemorative issues were relatively rare.