Collection: New Zealand Half Crowns

As your trusted Christchurch coin dealer, we invite you to explore our selection of New Zealand Half Crowns. Every item is backed by our authenticity guarantee and safely shipped with full insurance.

Our name sake coin and a cornerstone of New Zealand's pre-decimal currency. The New Zealand Half Crown was first introduced in 1933 following the Coinage Act of that year, which sought to establish a distinct national coinage amidst currency fluctuations with British and Australian pounds. Initially, these large, 32mm diameter coins were struck in a .500 (50%) silver alloy, a standard adopted to match the British silver coinage of the time. The reverse consistently featured George Kruger Gray's elegant design of the New Zealand Coat of Arms, incorporating distinctive Māori ornamentation, while the obverse bore the effigy of the reigning monarch, transitioning from King George V to King George VI. This silver period lasted until 1946, with the coins serving as a crucial component of daily commerce throughout the Great Depression and World War II.

A significant shift occurred from 1947 onwards, when the composition of the New Zealand half crown changed from 50% silver to cupro-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel). This alteration, mirroring a similar move in the United Kingdom, was prompted by rising silver prices and increased minting costs in the post-war era. Despite the change in metal, the iconic Kruger Gray reverse design remained, as did the effigy of the monarch (eventually transitioning to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953). The half crown continued to circulate widely until 1965, when production ceased in anticipation of New Zealand's conversion to decimal currency in 1967, marking the end of an era for this distinctive piece of New Zealand numismatic history.