New Zealand’s currency has a young history. In the early 19th century New Zealand’s shortage of copper and the lack of coins encouraged the use of the British monetary system of coins and notes based on Crowns, shillings, and pence. It wasn’t until 1933 that New Zealand issued its first generation of coinage.

The British system of  value –pence, shillings, etc. – were still used, but the coins themselves each bore distinctly kiwi designs, like the kiwi, tui, patu (a Maori weapon), and Maori warriors currency is valid in all New Zealand business directory. It wasn’t until 1964 that the bank changed over to a decimal currency with denominations ranging from 1 penny to fifty cents and $1 notes and up. However after only a short run the system changed.

Both the one and two cent coins were devalued in 1989 and the $1 and 2$ coins were created in 1991 to replace their paper counterparts. In 1996, the five cent coin was demonetized, creating the current system in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s bank notes (paper money) changed even more recently. In 1999, New Zealand’s Reserve Bank switched the notes from a cotton based paper fiber to a plastic polymer. The polymer notes last three times as long, deter forgery with the transparent cutouts (the silver fern on the left and the ovoid shape on the right), and don’t get as dirty as paper notes. They are also more environmentally friendly to recycle because they shred them instead of burning them like paper money.

The notes in circulation are:

$5 – An orange colored bill with Sir Edmund Hilary – the first man to scale Mount Everest – pictured on the front. A Yellow-Eyed Penguin is seen on the back.

$10 – A blue colored bill with Kate Sheppard – a prominent member of the New Zealand women’s suffrage movement – on front. The back features a Blue Duck.

$20 – This green note displays Queen Elizabeth II on front and a New Zealand Falcon on back.

$50 – This purple bill shows Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata – the first Maori to graduate from a New Zealand university and foremost Maori politician to serve in Parliament – on the front. The back features a kokako, a large land bird.

$100 – A dark red, this bill shows Ernest, Lord Rutherford of Nelson – The first man to split the atom – on front. The back features the Yellowhead, a canary.

The New Zealand dollar is subject to fluctuation and usually trades at a lower rate on currency markets than its more economically secure neighbor Australia. However, the great care and attention given to the crafting of each coin and note represents a pride in New Zealand’s colorful and cultural rich currency that has a value of its own.

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