Summary

Proof 1/2 Crown, Issued by New Zealand, 1947
Minted by Royal Mint, London

Obverse Description

King's head, bare, facing left; around, GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR; below neck truncation in small letters the artist's initials HP ([Thomas] Humphrey Paget)

Reverse Description

Shield of Arms of the Dominion of New Zealand on their shield (quartered with the Southern Cross, a wheat sheaf, a lamb suspended by a ribbon and mining hammers crossed divided by three ships) surmounted by the Royal Crown and surrounded by ornamentation inspired by Maori carvings; around, NEW ZEALAND HALF CROWN; below, 1947; in small letters to right of date the artist's initials K.G. ([George] Kruger Gray)

Edge Description

Milled

Significance

In 1947 New Zealand moved away from employing silver in circulating coinage, adopting a copper-nickel alloy at the same time as Great Britain.

'In 1947 the issue of Cupro-Nickel coins replaced .500 fine silver coins. This proclamation was made under Section eight of the Coinage Act, 1933 and signed on 25th August 1947. Both metal types of coins were still considered to be legal tender. This change was due to the rising costs of mining and the price of silver.' http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/currency/money/0094086.html

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