(Scott de Young. 122 pages, over 40 black and white images of the banknotes, plus numerous illustrations of specific details. US$45.00 post paid including taxes.)
Written, researched and compiled by Scott de Young, this book is a fitting conclusion to the era of paper money in New Zealand. Download a sample of the book. (This sample is a PDF file, containing pages 44 to 47 of the book. The size of the file is 217KB.)
There are currently very few works that address the paper currency of New Zealand, and there are certainly none that cover the period of decimal currency, in the form of paper banknotes, with such depth and authority as this new book. Comprising over 120 pages, each banknote discussed in the book is pictured in a detailed black and white image at 80% of its actual size. Particular specifications of each note are clearly set out, as are the details pertinent to each variety of note. Specimen signatures, numbers of notes issued, full charts of serial number prefixes, descriptions of specimen notes and details of replacement notes accompany the description of each variety. Dedicated collectors of New Zealand banknotes will be astonished at the amount of data described for each issue. Collectors will learn of common mistakes in serial numbers, of changes in paper weight, of notes printed but not issued, and many more obscure facts concerning the notes.
As well as the background to each series of notes issued between 1967 and 2000 being succinctly described, particular attention is given to special issues, both official and unofficial, made during the period under study. Collector notes are described in detail, giving the dates of issue, the number issued, and the range of serial numbers used for each of the special issues. Also included are descriptions of all the people, plants and birds illustrated on the notes, as well as summaries of the notes issued and a description of the fluorescent security features found on the notes.
With New Zealand now issuing polymer banknotes, it is an appropriate time to reflect on the decimal banknotes issued in the form of paper currency over the past thirty-three years. It is also fitting that the work which so comprehensively describes the decimal paper currency of New Zealand should be completed by one of the foremost authorities on New Zealand banknotes. Scott de Young has been collecting statistics, facts and anecdotes on the currency of his native country for many years. His invaluable knowledge of the currency is readily acknowledged by other experts in the field and now his knowledge is recorded for all to share.
The Decimal Banknotes of New Zealand 1967 - 2000 (The Paper Issues) is a volume which no collector of New Zealand banknotes can be without. It is the standard work for all future reference.