There isn’t an animal more closely associated with New Zealand than the unusual, flightless Kiwi bird. The subject of many coins, especially over the past year, it is the New Zealand Post that can claim the bird as its mascot having offered commemorative precious metal Kiwi coins for well over a decade. Their last two releases have seen a transition from standard, clean-struck designs, to ones using other modern numismatic techniques. The 2014 Kiwi Treasures coin was the last clean coin before the 2015 design appeared featuring a glow-in-the-dark application and some light colouring.

We’re back to the clean look this year, but with a twist. Like Coin Invest Trust’s hugely popular Mongolian Nature series, a laser-cut silhouette has been incorporated into the design, but unlike that series, this coin is also proof-finished and has a struck design. At an ounce, it’s also double the weight. Packaged in a hand-crafted, laser-inscribed wooden box, it’s clearly set up to be a premium product. Our understanding is that CIT were involved in the design and technical aspects of this one.

Any doubts are put to bed with the price. At $210 NZD, (€140, US$156, £101), it’s significantly more expensive than other 1 oz coins from mints in the region, even pricier than the Perth Mints 2 oz Gods of Olympus coins. European prices when shipping and tax have been added on will be much higher still. Having been fortunate enough to have had one in the hand at the Berlin show back in February, I can say without doubt it’s a superb coin, my personal coin of the show in fact, so it’s certainly one to get, just expect to pay a bit extra for one. Available to pre-order shortly, they should start to ship from the beginning of July.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The kiwi is instantly recognisable around the world as the national bird of New Zealand and has been a frequent subject of New Zealand Post’s commemorative coins since 2004. The kiwi is a quirky and unique bird, with five species of kiwi being found across New Zealand – brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), great spotted kiwi/roroa (Apteryx haastii), little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii), rowi (Apteryx rowi) and tokoeka (Apteryx australis). All five species are endangered and require various conservation efforts to sustain their small populations.

REVERSE: This striking silver-proof coin features a silhouette of the little spotted kiwi amongst harakeke (flax) where they’ve been known to live on Kāpiti Island. The silhouette of the kiwi has been laser-cut with absolute precision and the harakeke has been 3D laser engraved on the coin, resulting in amazing detail and depth never before-seen on a silver proof coin. New Zealand Post worked with special technology to ensure that even though the kiwi has been laser-cut from the coin, the coin is still 1oz of 0.999 silver.

OBVERSE: This features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

PRESENTATION: This stunning 1oz silver proof coin comes in packaging you’ll treasure. Hand-crafted in New Zealand from New Zealand native rimu and featuring a laser-engraved design on the lid, this gorgeous coin box will keep your coin in mint condition for years to come. Each coin comes with an individually numbered certificate that provides further detail about New Zealand’s kiwi, including information on declining populations and ongoing conservation efforts.

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SPECIFICATION