1966: Decimal Coins
February 2, 2019
By AHNZ
These initial designs were pretty damn bad. In January 1966 the crappy designs for the new decimal coins were leaked by the Evening Post. The man in charge, future Prime Minister Robert Muldoon who quipped as a reporter departed,..
“Of course, there are those who would say that it doesn’t matter what’s on the coins so long as you have enough of them.”
This caused chaos.
I actually like this about Rob1966. He made it to 45yo still thinking The People were as up-regulated and intelligent as himself (Fallacy of Consensus).
Actually most people to be reckoned with care the most about the picture on the money than what its value is. They pick out their bank or their car because they like the colour yellow, or blue, or red.
Rob wasn’t the only one having a wake-up, everyone in New Zealand was having a really big watershed wake-up call change. We left behind what McLauchlan called a “barren brown beer and baked beans world”. Into the decimal future.
[Rob’s next major lesson, by my count, was ten years later. Until 1977 he was serious about balancing the books, economic health, and had the determination to be unpopular. But then he folded and conformed to the “borrow and hope” policy too. I think that’s when he lost his hope for humanity and really became full politician]
‘Mister Dollar’; The logo for the big change change
ps The Noted article is really dull, I wouldn’t read it if I were you
pps It may be the lame coins and the fuss was all statecraft to befuddle and distract the population. Muldoon not dumb but the ringmaster of a clever ruse like one of those silly flag debates. Meanwhile, The State is getting something done while you’re not watching. “Always watch the hands, not the mouth” – Spiderman
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The coins were issued/launched on 10 July, 1967; Decimalisation Day
Ref. When Robert Muldoon almost ended his career over pennies and pounds; Noted
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