2019 New Zealand Kupe - Large Navigator Gold Coin Set Proof

Kupe - The Great Navigator

An exclusive set of two gold coins issued by the Bank of New Zealand for 2019 and minted in premium proof quality, each weighing 1/2 troy ounce of 99.99% pure gold, this set is dedicated to Maori mythology and the story in which the great navigator Kupe battles the octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi.

The reverse of each coin features one of the key figures of the legend - the mythical navigator Kupe and the mighty octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi. The first coin depicts Kupe fighting between the squid's twisted tentacles. His body is adorned with elaborate tattoos of Polynesian seafarers and in his raised arm he clutches the jade axe of Adze. The second coin depicts the octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi attacking the Maori canoe Waka with its tentacles from the depths of the ocean. In the night sky, Matariki - the Pleiades star cluster - glows. The waters of the ocean form the backdrop of the two coins with Maori ornaments. These are partially transferred to the coin's rim, along with the inscriptions "TEN DOLLAR", "TEKAU TARA" and "KUPE - THE GREAT NAVIGATOR".

Kupe is one of the most important figures in Maori mythology and oral history. Different versions of the legend agree that Kupe was the first man to sail to New Zealand and named him Aotearoa. The giant octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi was the spirit animal of the powerful high priest tohunga Muturangi from the original Maori homeland of Hawaiki. When Kupe reached the coast of New Zealand, he encountered the creature and it fled from him. After a relentless pursuit, he fought the octopus. He hacked its tentacles off with an axe and eventually killed it. Another version of the legend refers to the discovery of new sea routes. Kupe was to discover these by following the long tentacles stretching across the great distances of the Pacific.

The obverse of each coin bears a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley, the inscriptions "NEW ZEALAND", "ELIZABETH II", the year of issue "2019" and weight and fineness data.

Both coins housed in a Waka huia style wooden box. The luxurious box is handcrafted from the wood of the New Zealand Kauri (Southern Damaron) tree and the top lid is beautifully decorated with carved ornaments and the motif of a Waka canoe sailing under a starry sky. Each set includes an original certificate of authenticity. The set was issued in a very limited edition of only 150 pieces for the whole world !

Notice
Please note that the wooden box is handmade and may show minor imperfections, differences in color and texture of the wood.