Collectors of New Zealand numismatics will have a rare opportunity this week as Roxbury’s Auction House presents an exceptional selection of New Zealand trade tokens alongside Part II of the celebrated Moyle Collection of New Zealand Banknotes.
Offered as part of Auction No. 159 – Signature Sale, the catalogue brings together many pieces that have remained in private hands for decades, including rare Auckland and Christchurch trade tokens, proof and pattern issues, and some of the finest known surviving examples.
The New Zealand token offering forms part of the remarkable John McCullagh Collection, assembled over more than forty years and regarded as one of the most important private holdings of Australian and New Zealand colonial tokenage ever brought to market.
Among the highlights are:
• An 1853 Milner & Thompson penny, one of just two or three examples believed to exist.
• An 1871 Licensed Victuallers Association token, featuring a possibly unique mule die combination.
• An undated De Carle Pattern Penny, with only two or three examples recorded.
• Outstanding Auckland, Christchurch and Taranaki issues, including several regarded as among the finest known.
Alongside the tokens is Part II of the Moyle Collection of New Zealand Banknotes, featuring more than 100 lots spanning early pre-decimal issues through to modern polymer notes, with one of the most comprehensive selections of prefixes assembled by a private collector.
“This is one of the strongest selections of New Zealand numismatic material we’ve handled,” said Scott Waterman, Roxbury’s Director.
“Many of these pieces have been tightly held for decades, and opportunities to acquire material of this calibre are increasingly rare. Between the McCullagh trade tokens and the Moyle banknotes, this auction represents a remarkable cross-section of New Zealand’s commercial and monetary history.”
Auction Details
Roxbury’s Auction No. 159 – Signature Sale | Wednesday 15th – Friday 17th July
Online bidding: https://bid.roxburys.com.au
Media Enquiries: Scott Waterman | scott@roxburys.com.au | (+61) 7 3831 2599
Media Release on 14 July 2026