1/2 Dollar - Elizabeth II The Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge series from the Solomon Islands mint program is one of several high-relief architectural issues produced for the collector market with no meaningful circulation intent. The Solomon Islands has long served as a convenient issuing authority for European bullion and novelty coin producers — primarily Austrian and Polish minting houses — seeking a nominal sovereign issuer for products aimed squarely at the decorative collectibles trade.

At 59.6 grams of copper with silver plating, this piece carries no meaningful silver content despite the .999 designation, which refers only to the plating itself.