New Zealand one-dollar coin

The depiction of a kiwi on the reverse helps give the New Zealand dollar the colloquial name "Kiwi (dollar)", although the term was in use before the $1 coin was introduced. Both the $1 and $2 coins are gold-coloured, and requests for a Koha, donation or entry fee sometimes say gold coin please.

• Denomination — One dollar • Country — New Zealand • Value — 1.00 • Unit — New Zealand dollars • Mass — 8.00 • Diameter — 23.00 • Thickness — 2.74 • Edge — Intermittently milled • Composition — Copper-Aluminium-Nickel (Cu 92%, Al 6%, Ni 2%) • Years Of Minting — 1967–present • Catalog Number — – • Obverse Design — Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand • Obverse Designer — Raphael David Maklouf Ian Rank-Broadley • Obverse Design Date — 1986 (RDM) 1999 (IRB) • Reverse Design — A kiwi surrounded by silver fern fronds • Reverse Designer — Robert Maurice Conly • Reverse Design Date — 1990

Prior to 1990 there were several commemorative one dollar coins produced in the years, including in 1967 for the beginning of decimalisation, 1969 for the bicentenary of James Cook's voyages, and 1974 for New Zealand Day (now called Waitangi Day). While these were struck as commemorative issues they also served as valid legal tender. The current coin replaced the New Zealand one dollar note in use ever since New Zealand's currency was decimalised on 10 July 1967. The reason for replacing the note was due to inflation making the note more expensive to produce, and notes had to be replaced regularly due to wear and tear. The $1 coins, and $2 coins, were first minted in 1990, but circulated in 1991. The $1 notes were withdrawn later that year. The new $1 coin was made of aluminium bronze, and was 23.0 mm in diameter, 2.74 mm thick, and 8.0 g in weight. The edge of the coin consisted of eight sections, alternating between milling and plain sections. The reverse of the coin was designed by Robert Maurice Conly, and depicted two symbols of New Zealand: a kiwi facing left in the centre, surrounded by four fronds of the silver fern (Cyathea dealbata). Both the kiwi and the silver ferns sat above the legend reading the denomination "ONE DOLLAR". The obverse consisted of Raphael Maklouf's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of New Zealand, with the legend reading "ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND [year of minting]". In 1999, the obverse of all new $1 coins was changed with the addition of Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and the legend was rearranged to read "NEW ZEALAND ELIZABETH II [year of minting]". In 2006, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand replaced the 10c, 20c and 50c coins in circulation with smaller, lighter ones, and removed the 5c coin from circulation. The $1 remained the same as it was relatively new (the oldest $1 coins were only 14 years old), they circulated well, and the extra expense of adapting machines that only took $1 coins. Another reason for the change in size was that the 10c and $1 coin were very similar in size, being only 0.62 mm different in diameter. Due to a similar design, it was sometimes possible to pass the $1 coin as a £1 coin in the United Kingdom, in shops and vending machines. However, since the new 2017 £1 coin release this is no longer possible.

• Year — Coins minted • 1990 — 40,000,000 • 1991 — 10,000,000 • 2000 — 5,000,000 • 2002 — 8,000,000 • 2003 — 4,000,000 • 2004 — 2,700,000 • 2005 — 2,000,000 • 2008 — 11,000,000 • 2010 — 10,000,000 • 2013 — 10,080,000 • 2015 — 10,000,000 • 2019 — 12,960,000 • 2020 — 8,760,000 • Total — 134,500,000 Total value: $134,500,000

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the Reserve Bank said it would exhaust its existing coin stocks before introducing new coins featuring King Charles III. Based on current stock levels, this would likely be several years away.