Catalog
1 Seniti - Salote Tupou III
| Issuer | Tonga |
|---|---|
| Year | 1967 |
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| Diameter | 17.53 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A centrally positioned radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata), known as Tu'i Malila, depicted in profile facing left, rendered with detailed engraving of the shell's radiating pattern. This historically significant tortoise was presented to the Tongan Royal Family by Captain James Cook in 1777 and lived until 1966. The denomination legend 1 SENITI is inscribed in the lower field, with the design framed by a beaded inner border matching that of the obverse. |
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| Additional information |
Salote Tupou III ruled Tonga for 47 years, but achieved genuine international recognition only at the 1953 coronation of Elizabeth II, where her refusal to close her carriage roof in the London rain — while every other dignitary rode sheltered — made her a celebrated figure across the Commonwealth press. This 1967 issue came just two years after her death, with Tonga still a British protected state on the verge of full independence, which it achieved in 1970.