1/2 Dollar - Charles III Operation Deadstick

Operation Deadstick was the glider assault on the Caen Canal and Orne River bridges in the opening minutes of D-Day, 6 June 1944 — six Horsa gliders carrying men of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry landed within yards of their targets in near-total darkness, securing both bridges intact before the main seaborne landings began. The mission succeeded largely because the pilots cut engines miles out and flew silent approaches guided by stopwatch and compass.

The Solomon Islands has become a prolific issuer of commemorative pieces with no historical connection to the territory, functioning essentially as a licensing vehicle for foreign distributors. Gold-plated iron composition confirms this as a collector novelty rather than a bullion or numismatic-grade issue.