1 Hau - Taufa'ahau Tupou IV Coronation

Tonga's 1967 coronation coinage was among the first palladium issues struck by any sovereign government for circulation, predating most national experiments with the metal by decades. The series was produced to mark the accession of Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who had effectively governed as Prime Minister under his mother Queen Sālote for years before her death in 1965. At 64 grams, this is the heaviest piece in that coronation set — palladium's relatively low density making the coin considerably larger in hand than gold of equivalent mass.

The Pobjoy Mint handled production. Palladium spot prices in 1967 were a fraction of what they would later reach, which partly explains why the metal was viable for a Pacific island government's commemorative program.