Reverse of the Coin (Australia and New Zealand) Quiz

Answer: Right-facing kangaroo

Halfpenny coins were minted for Australia from 1911 until 1964. The initial reverse design was simply a circle of beads around the words "ONE HALF PENNY". Beginning in 1939, the design changed to a right-facing kangaroo, designed by George Kruger Gray. Like several of the Australian pre-decimal coins, the Australian halfpenny was equal in dimensions, weight, and composition to the British equivalent coin.

The year that saw the greatest minting of the halfpennies was 1942, when 47 million were minted between Melbourne and Bombay, India.

Answer: Left-facing kangaroo

Like the half penny, the original reverse for the Australian penny was simple. From 1911 until 1936, the reverse had a circle of beads around the words "ONE PENNY". Beginning in 1938, George Kruger Gray's design of a left-facing kangaroo replaced this. Both the halfpenny and penny feature a commonwealth star on the reverse on the side of the coin towards which the kangaroo is facing. Both coins were made of bronze (mostly copper with a little bit of zinc and tin).

Answer: Three stalks of grain

The threepence coins of 1910-1936 had the 1908 Australian coat of arms on the reverse. In 1938 a new design by George Kruger Gray appeared: three ears of wheat in a "V" shape, connected by a curved ribbon. Before 1947, Australian coins of the denominations from threepence to florin were made of 92.5% silver (Sterling). Starting in 1947, these denominations were made of 50% silver.

Answer: 1908 Australian Coat of Arms

W. H. Blackmore's reverse featuring the 1908 Australian coat of arms was used on all Australian sixpence issued from 1910 until 1963. Before 1916, Australian sixpence were made in Britain. Though the sixpence used the 1908 coat of arms, Australia adopted a somewhat modified coat of arms in 1912.

Answer: Merino ram

Again the coat of arms was used on Australian shillings from 1910 until 1936. Beginning in 1938, a new reverse featured the head of a merino ram. This reverse was designed by George Kruger Gray. As with several other denominations, Australian shillings between 1942 and 1944 were minted in San Francisco, CA.

Answer: Golden wattle plant and crown

Between 1938 and 1963, they have a golden wattle plant and a royal crown.
Previous to this issue, the Australian florin featured the Australian coat of arms on the reverse. There are some small differences in the reverse of the non-commemorative Australian florins. From 1910 until 1936, they have a seven-pointed star above the coat of arms. However, commemorative designs were issued in the following years: 1927 (Opening of the Old Parliament House), 1934-35 (Centenary of Melbourne, Victoria), 1951 (50th Anniversary of the Commonwealth of Australia), 1954 (Royal Visit).

Answer: Crown

The Australian crown, minted for only two years, appropriately featured a crown on its reverse. The crown was a relatively unpopular coin in Australia. While about 1,000,000 were minted in 1937, the 1938 mintage was closer to 100,000.

Answer: Hei-tiki

A Maori hei-tiki (neck pendant) was found on the New Zealand halfpenny. The halfpenny was minted in relatively small numbers for a relatively small country. 1965 saw the highest mintage at 5,225,000 while several years had mintages under one million. The reverse was designed by Leonard Mitchell, who also designed the reverse for the penny.

Answer: Kowhai and Tui

The New Zealand penny featured on the reverse kowhai blossoms with a tui (a type of bird) perched on them. Pennies were minted in much larger numbers than halfpennies. The minitages in 1952, 1958, and 1964 each exceeded ten million. The penny and halfpenny were made in bronze (mostly copper with small amounts of tin and zinc).

Answer: Two patus

Two patus (a type of club used as weapons by the Maori) are featured on the reverse of the New Zealand threepence. This reverse was designed by George Kruger Gray, who also designed the reverses for several Australian coins. New Zealand coins of threepence and higher denominations were minted in 50% silver from 1933 to 1946. With one exception, coins of the denominations minted for New Zealand from 1947 to 1965 were cupro-nickel.

Answer: Huia

The huia was a now-extinct wattlebird native to New Zealand. Traditionally the feathers of the bird were used to make "great cloaks" for Maori chiefs. It was featured on the reverse of the New Zealand sixpence. The sixpence (as all New Zealand coins for the period 1933-1965) were actually minted at the British Royal Mint.

Answer: Maori warrior

The Maori warrior on the New Zealand shilling carried a taiaha, a traditional staff weapon. The grass skirt the warrior is wearing is called a puipui. The shilling was another coin minted in relatively small numbers, with the most prolific year being 1965 (with 4.5 million). Shillings, along with sixpence and florins, remained legal tender for decades after decimalization.

The shilling was considered equivalent to a ten cent coin after 1967.

Answer: Kiwi

The kiwi on the reverse of the New Zealand florin faced to the left. The kiwi is a flightless bird and is also a symbol of New Zealand. The florin (along with the sixpence and shilling) would not be officially withdrawn from circulation until 2006. One variety of florin features a flattened back to the kiwi.

Answer: Arms of New Zealand

The arms of New Zealand found on the New Zealand half crown have Maori carvings as a background. New Zealand, unlike Australia, issued both a florin and a half crown. The 1940 half crown featured a different design as it commemorated the centennial of the Treaty of Waitangi.

A Maori woman stands in the middle of the reverse with a Maori village to one side of her and Art Deco buildings to the other side of her.

Answer: Treaty of Waitangi

New Zealand actually issued crowns in three years and each had a different reverse: 1935 (the Treaty of Waitangi), 1949 (Royal Visit) and 1953 (Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II). The 1935 crown is extremely rare with less than 1200 minted while the other two are more common.

The 1949 crown is the one post-1946 New Zealand coin that was minted in 50% silver. Note that the 1935 crown was not issued to commemorate a specific anniversary.