Money trouble

In the 1930’s New Zealand had a smuggling problem. But it wasn’t gold, or jewels or even things like alcohol.
It was coins.
New Zealand did not have its own currency before 1933 - the money in circulation was part of the British currency.
But after the New Zealand coins were devalued it led to large scale smuggling of coins.
Several rings were broken up.
In June 1933, the second officer and seventh engineer of the Marama were arrested in Timaru for attempting to export silver using specially fitted belts to hold the coins.
About the same time four men from the Wanganella were arrested in Wellington.
In 1934 the steward on the Monowai was fined £25 for smuggling £132 in silver coin.
There was contention over replacing the coins with a uniquely New Zealand set of currency.
It all led to the Coinage Act 1933 which laid out the weights and compositions of various denominations. New Zealand was the last British dominion to issue its own coinage.
In 1940, Leonard Cornwall Mitchell won a design competition for the penny and half penny for New Zealand.
Leonard had been born in 1901 in Wellington to Charles William Mitchell and Hester (Esther) Watson.
He became an artist studying at the Palmerston North Technical School completing a signwriting apprenticeship and a correspondence course in cartoon and caricature from America.
He was a stamp designer for the Post Office and head artist with the company Filmcraft (later the National Film Unit) in the late 1920’s.
Mitchell designed posters and illustrations for the Tourist and Publicity Department and worked in the art department of W D & H O Wills Tobacco.
He also worked in the 1940s for Coulls Somerville Wilkie which eventually became Whitcoulls.
One of his specialties was reconstructions of historical scenes.
He designed the commemorative centennial half-crown coin in 1940. Later he worked as a commercial artist. He was called the father of New Zealand graphic design.
Mitchell had married Victoria Adelaide Cogswell in 1923. Three of their sons, Leonard (Victor Leonard William) Mitchell, Alan Gordon Mitchell, and Frank Mitchell were also artists.
He died on September 22, 1971 and is buried at Makara Cemetery.
A large number of his works are in the National Archives and Te Papa. Picture from Te Papa.​