It was founded in 1996 in Marlborough, a region located in the
northeast of the South Island of New Zealand. It was established with
the intention of creating the N.Z. equivalent of Australia’s Hutt River
Province Principality. The ambitious principality comprised a market
centre, boutique brewery, wine shop, conference centre and tavern.
However, the Riviera Principality no longer exists as such, having
failed to overcome a number of obstacles in the way of Prince
MacDonald’s ambitious project. The coinage issued by the short-lived
Principality is very scarce and it is not easy to obtain.