1 Dollar - Elizabeth II Operation Plunder

Operation Plunder was the Allied crossing of the Rhine in March 1945, launched on the night of the 23rd with a massive artillery barrage — some 3,500 guns firing simultaneously along a front stretching over 20 miles. It was one of the largest river crossings in military history, coordinated alongside Operation Varsity, the airborne component that dropped over 16,000 paratroopers behind German lines the following morning. Within 24 hours, the western bank was secured and the path into the German heartland was effectively open.

Cook Islands issued extensively in this commemorative format during the 2010s, partnering with the Pobjoy Mint and others on Allied campaign series. Gold-plated copper crowns of this specification were a house standard for the run.