c.1942 New Zealand Featherston POW Internment Camp Currency Set

New Zealand. Featherston World War II POW Camp. A set of 6 Uniface Internment Camp Tokens struck in steel, from 1/2d, 1d, 3d, 6d, 1s, 2s. Extremely rare, especially as a complete set. Previously sold in 2002 for $4500 AUD. 

Featherston Camp, located in Wairarapa, served as New Zealand's only prisoner of war (POW) camp during World War II. Initially, the site had housed a military training facility during World War I. It was later repurposed in September 1942 to detain Japanese prisoners of war at the request of the United States government. The camp was established under urgent circumstances, as the New Zealand government had little notice of the incoming prisoners—around 450 Japanese POWs arrived mere days after the request was made.

To facilitate controlled commerce within the camp, steel currency tokens were hastily issued for use by the POWs as a form of currency to purchase goods and services without access to standard New Zealand currency. They were locally produced in Whangarei before being replaced by a second series minted by the Royal Mint in Melbourne.