KEY POINTS:
Sir Edmund Hillary was the first living New Zealander to appear on a banknote. Now his image is on a coin.
NZ Post today releases gold and silver special-edition coins depicting the late Sir Ed against a backdrop of Mt Everest, 55 years to the day he and Tenzing Norgay became the first to stand atop the world's highest peak.
And in line with Sir Ed's wish for his charity work to continue, a proportion of the sale proceeds will go to the Himalayan Trust.
Downtown Coin Centre internet sales manager Steve Eccles said commemorative coins were usually bought by collectors but the Sir Ed pieces were likely to appeal to a wider audience.
"The fact that it's to do with Sir Edmund Hillary, it might be quite popular."
Mr Eccles said the mintage limit of 1953 for the gold coin, signifying the year in which the Kiwi beekeeper stood on the top of the world, was high.
For many modern New Zealand commemorative gold coins, just 300 were made.
Mr Eccles said the total limit might not be issued, depending on demand, and if that happened it would increase the likelihood their value would rise.
Sir Ed, who died in January, was famed for his mountaineering adventures and Antarctic expeditions. He made a lasting contribution to helping the Nepalese people through the Himalayan Trust that he founded.
New Zealand Post's general manager of stamps and coins, Ivor Masters, said Sir Edmund's widow, Lady June Hillary, was closely consulted in the development of the coins. The gold coin is 20.6mm in diameter, sells for more than $500 and has a legal tender denomination of $10.
The silver coin is 40.6mm in diameter, sells for $89 and has a legal tender denomination of $1.
The Coins:
* A minting limit of 1953 is set for the gold commemorative coins _ reflecting the year Sir Ed got to the top of Mt Everest.
* A maximum of 10,000 of the silver commemorative coins will sell for $89. Each coin has a legal tender value of $1.
* The reverse side of both coins features a portrait of the Queen.
