There are five species of Kiwi, all native to New Zealand, and all endangered. A small, flightless bird about the size of a chicken, the kiwi is the national symbol of New Zealand. Since the only mammals native to New Zealand are bats, the ecological niches normally occupied by mammals were filled in by flightless birds, like the kiwi.
The Maori people use kiwi feathers for their ceremonial cloaks, but no longer hunt them and consider themselves their guardians. Feathers are only gathered from birds that die naturally or from accidents.
New Zealand switched to decimal coinage in 1967, and this is the first 20-cent coin issued. In 1986, the obverse was changed (KM62), and in 1991 the Kiwi jumped over to the new $1 coin.
All coin images in Daniel's Coin Zoo are from my personal collection. I collect, research, and personally photograph every coin displayed on this site. PLEASE do not take my images without permission. If you would like to use any coin image you see, just ask me. Thank you.