The Isle of Man Treasury produced commemorative crown-sized copper-nickel pieces in considerable volume throughout the 1990s and 2000s, flooding the market to the point where secondary values rarely exceeded face. This Athens Olympics issue preceded the 2004 Games by at least a year in some striking dates, a common practice for Manx commemoratives aimed squarely at the collector subscription market rather than circulation.
The Isle of Man Treasury produced commemorative crown-sized copper-nickel pieces in considerable volume throughout the 1990s and 2000s, flooding the market to the point where secondary values rarely exceeded face. This Athens Olympics issue preceded the 2004 Games by at least a year in some striking dates, a common practice for Manx commemoratives aimed squarely at the collector subscription market rather than circulation.