1/2 Crown - Elizabeth II Balinese Cat

The Isle of Man's long-running cat series, launched in 1988, became one of the more commercially successful annual coin programs of the late twentieth century, with each year's issue featuring a different breed. By 2003, the series had built a dedicated collector base substantial enough that the Treasury could sustain gold issues at multiple weight points. The Balinese — essentially a longhaired mutation of the Siamese, recognized as a distinct breed only in the 1960s — was a relatively late addition to the roster of featured subjects.