One Dollar 2023 Hairy Maclary, Coin from New Zealand - detailed information

When decimal currency was introduced in New Zealand on 10 July 1967, there was no new circulating denomination with the size and specifications of the old one crown piece, in which only commemorative coins had been issued; the new (large) fifty cents were equivalent in value but not in size. New Zealand issued crown-sized commemoratives with the specifications of the old crown, based on the British pre-decimal Crown. Until the introduction of the smaller circulating dollar coin in 1990, these coins had a one dollar denomination; later issues were denominated as five dollars.

These coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation.

NZ Post says about this coin:
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy written and illustrated by Dame Lynley Dodd, this coin has been issued to commemorate the legacy of the beloved children’s book series.

Hairy Maclary literally fell out of Lynley Dodd’s scrapbook. She recalls how, when looking for a new idea, a tiny sketch of a dog, drawn years earlier on a slip of notepaper, dropped out from between the pages.

With just a few strokes of her pen Lynley’s extraordinary ability to convey character, expression and movement brought Hairy Maclary to life.

Personally approved by author and illustrator Dame Lynley Dodd, this coin features the hero of the story surrounded by the iconic opening lines of the book. Hairy Maclary’s paw overlaps with the inner rim, creating the illusion that he is stepping out of the coin.