A new series of coins to treasure

In October 2020, New Zealand Post issued Discover New Zealand: Tūī, the first commemorative coin in a new stream of products showcasing New Zealand’s beauty and the natural wonders that make our place unique. The coins in this series are united by a specially designed kaitiaki (guardian), a protector of the taonga (treasure) encapsulated by the coin.

Tūī - October 2020

This coin features a stunning photographic image of New Zealand’s endemic tūī. Tūī are familiar to most New Zealanders, populating forests and suburbia throughout the country. While they look black from a distance, in good light their plumage boasts iridescent sheens of blue, green and bronze, and delicate white, lacy feathering around the neck. But it is the distinctive white throat tufts (poi) that are often the best sign you have spotted one.

Aoraki Mount Cook - February 2021

Te Waka-o-Aoraki is an early name for the South Island of New Zealand. According to local legend, the island is an overturned canoe, and the rugged peaks of the Southern Alps are Aoraki and his three brothers, turned to stone by the south wind. Local iwi (tribe) Ngāi Tahu considers Aoraki to be the most sacred of the ancestors from whom they descend. The mountain is the physical embodiment of this ancestor and is a link between the supernatural and natural worlds.

Kōwhai - May 2021

The kōwhai is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most cherished trees, its vibrant yellow blooms and the birds that flock to them welcome signs of spring. Some species are semi-deciduous, and their bounteous golden flowers appear before rows of small, round leaves join them. The distinctive kōwhai flower is an icon that has featured on postage stamps and coins several times, including New Zealand’s former two-cent coin.

The Discover New Zealand series is part of New Zealand Post’s programme of legal tender commemorative coins issued on behalf of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Find out more at collectables.nzpost.co.nz.