New Zealand 1967 2 cents
In 1967, New Zealand abandoned the sterling coinage she had used since the days of Captain Cook and adopted the decimal dollar and cent. This two cents was struck 1967-85 in large numbers. A more mature bust of the queen was used 1986-88, whereupon the one and two cent coins were terminated. Coinage, formerly obtained exclusively from the London mint, is divided among that mint and the Canberra mint and Ottawa mint. The second specimen was lot 73001 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2023), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand - Bahamas. Mint Error -- Mule -- 2 Cents, ND (1967). Llantrisant Mint. Elizabeth II. PCGS MS-64. cf. KM-3 (for Bahamas obv.)/KM-33 (for New Zealand rev.). A perennial favorite mule which marries the obverse die from a Bahamas issue with the reverse die for a New Zealand 2 Cents. One is left to wonder how such a large mistake could be made, then left unchecked during the extensive quality control processes of modern minting. The present coin is a gorgeous near Gem with ample red throughout and slightly more rich brown patina at the centers."
Recorded mintage: 75,000,000 plus 50,000 prooflike plus 10 proofs.
Specification: 4.14 g, bronze, 21.08 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 32.1.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, May 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Featuring the Richard Elliott Collection of Hooknecks, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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