1 Dollar - Elizabeth II Marilyn Monroe

Cook Islands has issued commemorative dollars under licensing arrangements since the 1970s, leveraging its status as a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand to produce coins that have no meaningful circulation function. This piece is part of a broader wave of licensed celebrity coinage that flooded the collector market in the late 2000s and early 2010s, largely targeting impulse buyers rather than serious numismatists. Monroe's image rights are controlled by Authentic Brands Group, whose licensing fees are embedded in the retail markup on issues exactly like this one.