Catalog
10 Vatu Graphium weiskei
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of Vanuatu |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | The national arms of Vanuatu displayed centrally, depicting a Melanesian warrior in traditional dress standing before a curved boar's tusk emblem. A scroll inscribed with the national motto 'LONG GOD YUMI STANAP' appears below the shield, while the date is positioned above the arms. The legend 'RIPABLIK BLONG VANUATU' encircles the design along the periphery of the field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Graphium weiskei, the Purple-spotted Swallowtail, is endemic to the highlands of Papua New Guinea — which makes its appearance on a Vanuatu coin geographically curious. The Reserve Bank issued this piece as part of a broader Pacific wildlife bullion-style series aimed squarely at the thematic collector market rather than circulation, a strategy Vanuatu leaned on heavily through the 2000s to generate foreign exchange revenue from numismatic exports.
The .999 silver cladding over copper-nickel is a production compromise that keeps costs below a solid silver striking while still commanding a premium over base metal.