WAITANGI CROWN MINTAGE FIGURES

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V27 2024 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 27, Number 41, October 13, 2024, Article 14

Last week we excerpted an article on the Waitangi Crown by Andrew Crellin, and asked if anyone could help Andrew refine the mintage numbers. Martin Purdy of Upper Hutt, New Zealand answered the call. -Editor

By way of background, for a long time the established understanding was that there were 364 proofs and 764 uncirculated coins, but this was rectified in 1992 by research by Dr Michael Humble published in the NZ Numismatic Journal of that year (NZNJ #70, p. 13ff), which established that, in addition to the 364 coins issued in proof sets, the total mintage also included 104 loose proof coins, which reduced the total for the uncirculated coins to 660.

The table in the article on the Sterling Currency website contains an error in the totals along the bottom, since the "totals" shown for proof and uncirculated coins mix mintages for both (take a second look at what's being added up in each case and it should become clear!). The totals in the right-hand column are correct, however.

The coin was not intended to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Treaty - that would be a strange number to pick, and the centenary was duly marked with a circulating halfcrown commemorative in 1940. According to NZ Numismatic Society records (March 19, 1936), it was originally hoped to have the crown issued in 1934 to mark the first celebration of "Waitangi Day" but its issue was delayed by a year. The Treaty House and grounds at Waitangi had been gifted to the nation by the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, in 1932, and "Waitangi Day" was first celebrated in 1934, making this a fitting theme for New Zealand's first crown piece. The change of date was unfortunate, although the issue in 1935 then coincided with jubilee issues in the UK and Canada for the King's own 25th anniversary.

Another curiosity for those who like playing with numbers is that the total mintage of the uncirculated and proof Waitangi crowns matches the combined total of the octagonal and round 1915 gold US$50 commemoratives (660+468 vs. 645+483, or 1128 in each instance).

Martin provided corrections to Andrew's mintage table and numbers from Dr Humble's 1992 article. I passed everything along to Andrew. -Editor

"That is great feedback, thank you for passing it on.

"I don't mind looking like a dolt if it means the correct information comes out.

"I'll ensure Martin's table is included in the article, it is certainly better than the one I prepared.

"Thanks again for facilitating this!"