Catalog
½ Dollar - Charles III Viking 1
| Issuer | Central Bank of Samoa |
|---|---|
| Year | 2023 |
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| Diameter | 50 mm |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A full-colour scene commemorating the NASA Viking 1 Mars lander mission of 1976 fills the field. The Viking 1 lander is depicted on the Martian surface in detailed relief and colour, with its parabolic antenna, scientific instruments, and landing struts clearly rendered in the foreground. The planet Mars is shown in coloured relief in the upper left of the field, while the NASA meatball logo appears in full colour in the upper right. The inscriptions 'VIKING 1' and '1976' are prominently displayed across the mid-field in raised lettering against the dark space background. |
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| Edge | Reeded © Zbigniew60 |
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| Additional information |
Samoa has issued commemorative pieces under its own authority since gaining full independence in 1962, though the island nation's numismatic program expanded aggressively in the 2000s through partnerships with European marketing firms targeting the collector market rather than circulation. This piece, issued in the first full year of Charles III's reign following Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, belongs to that commercial tradition entirely — a souvenir product with a Pacific issuer of convenience.
Silver-plated iron, not sterling or fine silver coin metal, corrodes at plating seams over time. Storage matters more than it would for a solid silver piece.