3 Pence - George VI 3rd type

New Zealand's switch from silver to copper-nickel for its threepence came in 1947, driven by postwar silver shortages and broader Commonwealth-wide pressure to reduce the metal content of small denomination coinage. Britain had made the same move the same year. The 1948–1952 issues were struck at the Royal Mint in London, as New Zealand had no domestic minting capacity of its own until the Tāmaki Makaurau facility opened decades later.