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Story: Economic history

Coats of arms

  • Reserve Bank of New Zealand
    (Reference: Reserve Bank of New Zealand)

  • Christchurch
    (Reference: Christchurch City Council)

  • New Zealand
    (Reference: Ministry for Culture and Heritage)

The coats of arms of New Zealand, the city of Christchurch and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand all include a hanging fleece to express the importance of sheep to the nation’s economy. Both New Zealand and Christchurch also include a sheaf of wheat, while the Reserve Bank, with a more contemporary sense of economic importance, has a bull’s head to represent the beef and dairy industries.

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How to cite this page

Brian Easton, Economic history – Early pastoral economy, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/24326/coats-of-arms (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Brian Easton, published 12 April 2010.