1935 New Zealand Crown

The 1935 New Zealand Crown was the first and only crown-sized coin issued by the country before decimal currency arrived, making it a singular oddity in their minting history.

Struck at the Royal Mint in London from .500 fine silver planchets, it features George V on the obverse and a design by Percy Metcalfe on the reverse, including a kiwi bird and Maori elements like the silver fern. That blend reflected New Zealand's emerging national identity, even if the coin itself never circulated widely. Mintage figures are murky; records suggest around a thousand pieces, but I've handled enough to know exact numbers vanished in bureaucratic fog.

Its edge is reeded, a standard for the era, and it weighs 28.28 grams, though wear can vary. As for myths about its rarity driving prices sky-high, let's just say I've seen better investments in my three decades.