1 Dollar - Elizabeth II King Henry IV

Part of a sprawling commemorative series issued under Cook Islands' licensing arrangements, this piece belongs to a category of modern collector items produced primarily for the novelty market rather than any monetary function. Cook Islands has issued hundreds of such dollars since the 1990s under agreements with overseas minting houses, with the face value bearing no relationship to production cost or precious metal content. The gold plating here is cosmetic — a flash deposit over copper-nickel.

Henry IV came to the English throne in 1399 by deposing Richard II, the first king removed by parliamentary process rather than death or conquest.