New Zealand Slang For Money (Helpful Content!)

New Zealanders most often use the term “bucks” to describe New Zealand dollars. This is the most common and ubiquitous slang term for money in New Zealand. They also have a variety of other slang terms such as “gold coins” for one and two dollar coins, as well as “Ern Ruddys” for the one hundred dollar note.

For the most part, then, you won’t need much more than the common “bucks” to get by with New Zealand slang in relation to money.

This is used by just about everyone and can be used for any amount of money in any denomination.

However, there are other terms you’ll need to be aware of, so let’s find out more.

What do New Zealanders call money?

By far the most common slang term for money in New Zealand is “bucks”.

This is the most common stand-in for dollars, though of course the standard word is often used as well.

In the vast majority of cases, though, where someone uses a slang term to refer to money, they will use the term “bucks”.

It is really the only slang term for money in New Zealand that isn’t used for certain kinds of money, or certain denominations.

It’s also used by just about everyone, from the oldest to the youngest generations, in every part of the country.

“Can you give me five bucks for the parking ticket?” for example.

Naturally, this is a slang term that is by no means exclusive to New Zealand.

More or less anywhere where the currency is “dollars,” people tend to use the slang term “bucks” for money.

“Cash” of course is another slang term used to describe physical money, but this one just about walks the line between slang and standard terms.

Other than this one, there are a variety of slang terms used by New Zealanders for specific kinds of money.

“Gold coins” is a kind of humorous slang phrase for one and two-dollar coins.

There are a few different ways you can take this, as the origin is not clear, but more on that later.

In general, the term is used to describe only these specific coins.

Finally, one slang term specifically for the one hundred dollar New Zealand note is “Ern Ruddys”.

This is obviously a lot more specific and not one you’ll hear used in any context, since most people aren’t handling such large notes all the time!

Nonetheless, it’s certainly one to be aware of.

So, that covers all the slang terms you’re likely to need when talking about money in New Zealand.

Let’s see where they come from.

Why do New Zealanders say “bucks”?

As you’re probably aware, “bucks” is and has been much more heavily associated with American slang than anything else.

It is certainly more common there than anywhere else, and as best we can tell this is certainly where the term originated.

However, it’s not clear exactly where it comes from.

The leading theory is that it derives from buckskins being a unit of trade among settlers and natives during America’s frontier days.

This is first attested as far back as 1748, and certainly in regions where paper money would not have been the most valuable vehicle for trade.

When exactly this passed to New Zealand is very hard to say.

The term became popularized through the prevalence of American movies and TV in the 20^th Century, so there’s a good chance it was simply absorbed into New Zealand this way.

Naturally, the New Zealand version does not have the same history of trading buckskins, but the term just became so well-known and widely understood that it was adopted everywhere.

Why do New Zealanders say “gold coins”?

As mentioned, if you want a slang term for one or two dollar coins, then the simple “gold coins” will serve you just fine.

This is not as commonly used as bucks, but most New Zealanders will tend to understand what you mean when you use this term.

However, it is not because the coins themselves are gold, though they are gold.

In fact, this slang term presumably relates to what’s called the “gold coin donation,” and event widely held in Kiwi schools on “mufti” day, or plain clothes day.

Your kids are allowed to go to school in their own clothes if they bring a one or two-dollar donation for some cause or other.

Why do New Zealanders say “Ern Ruddys”?

Finally, New Zealanders will also refer to a 100 dollar note as “Ern Ruddys”.

This is because the face of Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand-born physicist who is featured on the 100 dollar note.

Rutherford was an enormously famous and important scientist in the field of nuclear physics, and widely regarded as one of the most important physicists since Michael Faraday.

Due to his New Zealand heritage, the country proudly features him on the front of 100 dollar notes.

His name and face are so well known and such a point of national pride in New Zealand that this slang term has fully taken hold.

There are some strange and unique slang terms for money that are used in New Zealand, then.

However, for the most part, you’ll do just fine with “bucks” as it is used in Australia and the U.S.

This is a catch-all slang term for any amount or kind of money in New Zealand.

If you hear others, like “gold coins” or “Ern Ruddys”, you now know what people are talking about!

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