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1 Dollar - Elizabeth II Amor and Psyche: 2/2
| Issuer | Niue |
|---|---|
| Year | 2012 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | KM#971 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a colorized relief reproduction of Antonio Canova's celebrated neoclassical marble sculpture 'Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss' (c. 1787–1793), depicted in warm ivory and cream tones. The composition shows the winged figure of Amor (Cupid) tenderly embracing the reclining figure of Psyche, their faces nearly touching in an intimate moment rendered with exceptional sculptural detail. The coin's irregular shaped planchet precisely follows the silhouette of the sculptural group, including the outstretched wings of Amor rising to the upper field. The coloring technique faithfully evokes the appearance of Canova's original Carrara marble. No inscriptions appear on the reverse. |
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| Additional information |
Niue's numismatic program has long operated as a revenue vehicle for the island government, licensing its sovereign issuing rights to private minting firms — primarily the New Zealand Mint — who develop themed collector series with little connection to the territory itself. The Amor and Psyche series is a product of that arrangement, drawing on the Roman mythological narrative transmitted most fully through Apuleius's Metamorphoses, written in the 2nd century AD.
This is part two of a two-coin set, completing the narrative arc of the myth.