1 Dollar Golden Catrina Skull

Palau has operated an aggressive bullion and collector coin program since the 1990s, licensing its monetary authority to foreign minting operations — primarily European — that produce small-denomination pieces with no practical circulation function. This "Catrina" issue draws on the Mexican Día de los Muertos figure popularized through 20th-century printmaking, with no particular connection to Palauan culture or history. At 0.5 grams of .9999 fine gold, the metal value has historically hovered near the $30–35 range, making the denomination purely nominal.