New Zealand 20 cent coin
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The New Zealand 20 cent coin is the second lowest denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar. It is also New Zealand's most altered mass-circulation coin, having changed three times. The 20 cent coin came about when the New Zealand dollar was introduced on July 10, 1967, replacing the New Zealand florin coin.
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[edit] Design
[edit] 1967 to 1990
The 20 cent coin was introduced to replace the New Zealand florin. Like the florin, the new 20 cent coin was made of cupronickel, 28.58 mm in diameter, 11.31 grams in weight, and had 100% edge milling. The original 20 cent coins depicted Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and the kiwi on the front. The presense of a kiwi was inherited from the preceding florin coin. Mintings of this coin from 1990 are rare.
[edit] 1990 to 2006
In 1990, the new $1 and $2 coins were released to replace the $1 and $2 notes. As the $1 depicted a kiwi also, the 20 cent's reverse had to be redesigned. The new reverse side featured the well-known Māori carving depicting Pukaki, a chief of the Arawa iwi (tribe). The existing 20 cent coins remained in circulation and greatly outnumbered the new design until 2006.
[edit] 2006 onwards
On July 31, 2006, the new 20 cent coin was released alongside the new 10 and 50 cent coins as part on the Reserve Bank's "Change for the better" silver coin replacement. The new 20 cent coin had the same reverse as the 1990 to 2006 minted coins and the same obverse as the 1999-onward coins, but the coins were reduced in size. The new 20 cent coins are made of steel, covered in a layer of nickel, copper, then nickel again. The new coins are 21.75 mm in diameter, 4 grams in weight, and have Spanish flower milling around the edge. The old 20 cent coins were demonetized on November 1, 2006.
