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The German New Guinea Company issued its own coinage in 1894 and it remained legal tender until 15 April 1911, when it was replaced by regular German imperial coinage. A twenty mark coin issued in 1895 would therefore have been in circulation for 16 years.
This colonial coin corresponded exactly in size and composition to its German imperial twenty mark counterpart.
It was designed by Berlin Mint designers Emil Weigand (reverse) and Otto Schultz (bird of paradise obverse). Strictly speaking, the side with the bird should be considered the reverse, since the issuing authority is on the other side; however, it is usually listed as the obverse in most sources. |
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| Obverse | |
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Great Bird of Paradise displaying full plumage. There is no text or other decoration. |
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| Obverse Inscription |
(none) |
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| Reverse | |
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At centre, in four lines, the value, denomination and date: 20 NEU-GUINEA MARK 1895, fully enclosed by a palm wreath; around above the wreath, the issuing company's name: NEU-GUINEA COMPAGNIE. Below the wreath, the mint mark A of the Berlin Mint. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
NEU-GUINEA COMPAGNIE 20 NEU GUINEA MARK 1895 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| See also |
The Bird of Paradise design has been issued and re-issued as:
- German New Guinea, 5 Marks (Silver), 1894
- German New Guinea, 2 Marks (Silver), 1894
- German New Guinea, 1 Mark (Silver), 1894
- German New Guinea, 1/2 Mark (Silver), 1894
- German New Guinea, 10 Pfennig (Copper), 1894
- German New Guinea, 20 Marks (Gold), 1895
- German New Guinea, 10 Marks (Gold), 1895
- Papua New Guinea, 1/4 oz Gold Proof (50 Kina), 1994
- Papua New Guinea, 4 oz Silver Proof (25 Kina), 1994
- Papua New Guinea, 1 oz Silver Proof (5 Kina), 1994
- Papua New Guinea, 1 oz Gold Proof (500 Kina), 2020
- Papua New Guinea, 1/4 oz Gold Proof (100 Kina), 2020
- Papua New Guinea, 1 kg Silver Proof (200 Kina), 2020
- Papua New Guinea, 5 oz Silver Proof (50 Kina), 2020
- Papua New Guinea, 2 oz Silver Proof (20 Kina), 2020
- Papua New Guinea, 1 oz Silver Proof (10 Kina), 2020
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