1/10 Crown - Elizabeth II New York Alley cat

The Isle of Man's cat coinage series, launched in 1988, was a deliberate play for the bullion and collector market at a moment when the island's government was aggressively expanding its numismatic program. The "Alley Cat" design — one of the more loosely themed entries in the series — was issued specifically for the American market, timed to coincide with promotional efforts in New York.

At .9999 fineness, these fractional gold pieces matched the purity standard set by the Canadian Maple Leaf rather than the .9167 of the Krugerrand, a calculated commercial decision.