10 Dollars - Elizabeth II African Elephant

Cook Islands issued a significant run of wildlife-themed silver dollars beginning in the late 1980s, largely driven by the international collector market rather than domestic monetary need. The African Elephant series was part of this broader programme, minted to capitalize on growing conservation awareness following the 1989 CITES decision to ban the international ivory trade — a ban that made the elephant a globally recognized emblem of endangered species policy almost overnight.