Two birds of New Guinea meet on a single 20 toea coin: the bird of paradise on the national arms of Papua New Guinea, and the flightless Bennett’s cassowary on the reverse.

Richard Renninger drew the arms for the coinage: a bird of paradise perched above a traditional spear and a kundu, a ceremonial drum, ringed by the legend «PAPUA NEW GUINEA» and the year. The cassowary (Casuarius bennetti) appears on the reverse beside the mark «20t».

The 2010 piece belongs to the nickel-plated steel variety KM# 5a, which replaced the copper-nickel coin of 1975–1999. The design is unchanged, so the coin continues the line begun with the first kina issue and fits both a date run and a collection of birds on coins.

Uncirculated condition: the coin has never circulated, shows no wear and retains its mint lustre; only minor bag marks are possible.

This coin is one of the items in the VPcoins catalogue, which brings together commemorative, circulation and bullion coins from around the world.