Cook Islands has issued novelty dollar pieces under licensing arrangements that have nothing to do with the islands' actual monetary history — this "Friends in UFO" piece is squarely in that tradition, produced for the international collector novelty market rather than any domestic circulation purpose. The Cook Islands' name appears on a wide range of such issues precisely because the territory's currency authority has historically offered favorable licensing terms to foreign minting operations and distributors.
Cook Islands has issued novelty dollar pieces under licensing arrangements that have nothing to do with the islands' actual monetary history — this "Friends in UFO" piece is squarely in that tradition, produced for the international collector novelty market rather than any domestic circulation purpose. The Cook Islands' name appears on a wide range of such issues precisely because the territory's currency authority has historically offered favorable licensing terms to foreign minting operations and distributors.