BRITISH COINAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3895, 15 January 1929, Page 1

BRITISH COINAGE.

SPECIMEN SETS RECEIVED. GIFT TO AUCKLAND MUSEUM. AUCKLAND, Jan. 9. Complete sets of specimen gold and silver coins of King Edward VII. and King George V., mounted in cases, luive been presented by Mr Moss Davis to Auckland city and handed by the City Council to the Museum. The older set includes coins of fivesovereign, two-sovercign, sovereign and half-sovereign denominations in gold, and a crown, half-crown, florin, shilling, fld, -Id, fid, 2d, and Id all in silver. The new set of coins designed and issued last year include the five-shilling piece, which reappeared in circulation. None had been struck since King Edward Vll.’s coronation in 1902. The new crown is different in design from a.nv of its predecessors. The principal feature is a large Imperial Crown, the lines of which recall those of early Tudor heraldry. On the new half-crown also the vigorous treatment of the heraldry is a pleasing change from that of recent years. The bulk of the design consists of a shield on which are quartered the Royal Arms of England, Scotland and Ireland. There is no wreath or crown. A striking feature is the inclusion, on either side of the shield, of interlaced G’s.

Another presentation to the Museum by the same donor is a complete set of plates of Captain Cook’s voyages. The [Jotc.s are in a splendid state of preservation.