New Zealand 6-PENCE (KM26.2)¶
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Reverse: HUIA BIRD
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Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
- Composition
- Copper-nickel
- Country
- New Zealand
- Approx. Size
- 19.3mm
- Area
- Oceania/Australia
- Animal Class
- Birds
- Species
- Huia bird
- KM#
- 26
The Huia bird is one of many native New Zealand birds driven to extinction by man. It was a beautiful bird featuring black plummage with a green metallic sheen and orange wattles. The Huia was highly prized by the M?ori people and people of high rank wore its precious feathers. They also kept the birds as pets.
Three factors led to the Huia's extinction around 1920: Deforestation, introduction of non-native mammals, and over hunting. When the Duke of Duchess of York (future King George V and Queen Mary) visited New Zealand in 1901, a M?ori guide took a Huia feather from her hair and placed it in the Duke's hatband as a sign of respect. This resulted in many people in England and New Zealand wanting to also have a Huia feather in their hat, which drove the price up and helped hasten the birds extinction.
New Zealand¶
- Area
- Oceania/Australia
New Zealand is a geographically isolated nation in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprised of two main islands, and several smaller islands. This long isolation, along with its varied terrain, resulted in unique flora and fauna many of which could be traced back hundreds of millions of years to Gondwana. Permanent settlement of the islands dates back to only c. 1250 CE, and European contact didn't get going until the late 18th century. Unfortunately, the fauna of the islands have suffered a very high extinction rate due to the influence of humans, including some fifty species of birds.The landscape of New Zealand is as varied as it is dramatic, with huge mountains on the south island, fjords and volcanoes on the north island, and incredible forests and coastlines. A highly developed nation, New Zealand consistently ranks near the top in quality-of-life and human-development indexes.
