Description and research notes
The 1967 one hundred dollars specimen represents the inaugural issue of New Zealand’s decimal currency system at its highest denomination, issued during the ND (1967–1968) period under the signature of Roderick Ninian Fleming as Chief Cashier. Fleming’s tenure was limited to the opening phase of decimalization, making his signature exclusive to the earliest production window of the new monetary system.
Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company, London, this specimen was prepared for formal distribution to central banks and institutional archives. It displays the early and complete De La Rue presentation format: a bold diagonal red 'SPECIMEN' overprint, a De La Rue oval control stamp, and a single punch-hole cancellation applied through the central design. The note carries Serial G000000009 and is marked as Specimen No. 9, confirming its position within the controlled specimen allocation sequence.
The design introduced the decimal series layout, featuring Queen Elizabeth II in engraved portrait form on the obverse and the Captain James Cook watermark embedded within the paper. As the highest denomination of the inaugural issue, the one hundred dollars note was intended primarily for institutional and reserve-level use, rather than general circulation, reflecting its role within the upper tier of the monetary system.
As a Fleming-signed specimen from the ND (1967–1968) issue, this note captures the earliest stage of New Zealand’s decimal currency development. The combination of diagonal overprint, oval control stamp, and punch-hole cancellation represents the foundational specimen format established by Thomas De La Rue at the launch of the series.
Graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated, the note retains strong paper originality, visible embossing, and clear ink definition. The complete set of specimen features—overprint, oval stamp, and punch cancellation—remains sharply defined, presenting a technically complete and historically significant example of the first decimal hundred-dollar issue.