New Zealand twenty-cent coin pegged to the British pound, was changed to a decimal dollar at a rate of two dollars to a pound. Therefore, 20 cents was worth a tenth of a pound. The 20-cent coin replaced the florin coin which had been worth two shillings, or a tenth of a pound. Like the florin, the new 20-cent coin was made of cupronickel, 28.58 mm in diameter, 11.31 grams in weight, and had 100% edge milling. The 20-cent coin retained the presence of a kiwi on the reverse of the florin, albeit in a different design. The original obverses of 20-cent coins depicted
Halfpenny (British decimal coin) 1984. The reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, was a representation of St Edward's Crown, with the numeral "" below the crown, and either (1971–1981) or (1982–1984) above the crown. Only one design of obverse was used on the halfpenny coin. The inscription around the portrait on the obverse was , where 19xx was the year of minting. Both sides of the coin are encircled by dots, a common feature on coins, known as beading. As on all decimal coins produced before 1984, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin appeared on the obverse; in this