New Zealand money motifs
The interesting and surprisingly beautiful money motifs and designs on New Zealand bank notes and coins!
|
New:
 Old:  |
New:
 Old:  |
| You can see Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mount Everest, but the mountain behind him is Mount Cook (NZ). There’s also one of the tractors that he drove on his successful South Pole expedition. He died in 2008, 88 years old. |
The beautiful Hoiho or Yellow-eyed Penguin, only a few thousand survive today, the rarest penguin on earth. It grows to nearly 70cm and lives >20 years. Found south of Christchurch, mostly on the Otago Pensinsula. The scene is from Campbell Island 600km south of Stewart Island. |
|
New:
 Old:  |
New:
 Old:  |
| Kate Sheppard was one of the activists who fought for New Zealand to be the first country of the world to allow everyone to vote (in 1893). The white camellias were a symbol for their campaign. |
The Whio or Blue Duck has no other close relatives, a very old species, only >2500 survive along the rivers of New Zealand. They are not good flyers but fast on water. In the background is the common Blechnum Fern and a river side plant (Snowcap) from Fiordland. |
|
New:
 Old:  |
New:
 Old:  |
| Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand is the Head of State and the Governor-General appointed by her is her representative. The Crown still owns 2 million hectares or 11% of New Zealand's land. In the background is the Parliament Building (‘Beehive’) in Wellington. |
The small New Zealand Falcon or Karearea is another unique and threatened species, with 230km/h said to be the world’s fastest bird. The highest peak of the Kaikoura range, Mt. Tapuaenuku, Red Tussock grass and the Marlborough Rock Daisy are depicted as his typical habitat. |
|
New:
 Old:  |
New:
 Old:  |
| Sir Apirana Ngata was the first Maori to graduate from University, he became a leader of the Young Maori Party and was a Member of Parliament for 38 years. He also designed the meeting house in the background (in Ruatoria near the East Cape). The pattern behind his head is from inside the meeting house. |
The Kokako or Blue Wattled Crow, endangered and once down to 350 pairs only, has no living relatives left. His song is magical. The large forest bird now only lives on the North Island, like Pureoa Forest Park near Taupo in the background. He eats the pictured Supplejack leaves and the Sky-blue Mushroom on the right has the same colour as its wattle. |
|
New:
 Old:  |
New:
 Old:  |
| Ernest, Lord Rutherford of Nelson, the ‘Father of the Atom’, explored natural radioactivity and the structure of the atom and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry pictured to the left in 1908. |
The Yellowhead or Mohua from the South Island (Bush Canary) is also threatened and down to >3000 birds. They live in Red Beech forests like the Eglington Valley shown (towards Milford Sound), so does the well disguised South Island Lichen Moth. |
The motifs on New Zealand coins
 (5 cents)
|
| Tuatara lizards look exactly as they did 220 million years ago, a living fossil that can grow 75 cm long and live to 100 years old. Less than 100’000 continue to live on offshore islands (coin taken out of circulation 2006). |
 (10 cents)
|
| A carved Maori mask or Koruru, usually found on the gable of a meeting house, often representing the ancestor after which the house is named. |
 (20 cents)
|
| This is an 1836 carving of chief Pukaki from Rotorua, the huge original is on display at the Rotorua District Council. |
 (50 cents)
|
| The HMS Endeavour with Mount Taranaki in the background, James Cook circumnavigated New Zealand in 1769 on this first voyage. |
 (1$)
|
| No wonder the currency is known as ‘Kiwi Dollar’, with the national bird on the front. The other rivalling icon can be seen, too: the Silver Fern. |
 (2$)
|
| The White Heron or Great Egret (or Kotuku) was already extremely rare in old Maori times, now <150 birds survive in New Zealand (once down to 4 nests!), most in South Westland. Their feathers adorned the heads of chiefs and early settler women’s hats. |
 |
| As the Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand is featured on all coins. |
