The New Zealand "nPz" Mk II helmet may be the rarest combat WW2 MkII, made only in 1941. Here's my example;

New Zealand nPz MkII HelmetNew Zealand nPz MkII HelmetNew Zealand nPz MkII HelmetNew Zealand nPz MkII HelmetNew Zealand nPz MkII HelmetNew Zealand nPz MkII Helmet


The story goes that in 1940 New Zealand had an order for 30,000 MkII helmets but this could not be fulfilled by Britain focused on it's own defence. So production began in New Zealand assembling a local version using steel pressed skins made by the Australian Commonwealth Steel company "CS", liners either Dunlop Australian or British liners available, with an early version of the MkII chin strap and locally made lugs marked "nPz" "II" & "1941".
The company General Motors, at Petone, Wellington did the assembly, and nPz, depending on who you believe represents "New Zealand Pressings" or "Precision Engineering Ltd" of Wellington.
Apparently by 1942 British helmet supplies were available to NZ, so the local production ended. How many "nPz" helmets were made? Again it depends who you believe. My helmet is marked "CS21055" and others posted on this forum have serials CS21042 and CS21047, not a wide spread if tens of thousands were made. Lug rivets can be flat or domed. The circular domed brass "nut" to secure the lining is sometimes outside and sometimes fitted inside.

A photo of the GM factory in Wellington assembling MkII helmets in 1941. Doesn't seem to be a huge production line.

New Zealand nPz MkII Helmet