Cook Islands has issued lunar series gold in volume since the 1990s, but the 2018 Dog entry in this particular format was produced by the Pobjoy Mint under license — one of several private minting houses that have handled Cook Islands bullion and collector coinage for decades, given that the islands themselves operate no mint of their own. Mintages on these issues are typically set by anticipated collector demand rather than any domestic monetary need, as Cook Islands gold coinage has never circulated.
Cook Islands has issued lunar series gold in volume since the 1990s, but the 2018 Dog entry in this particular format was produced by the Pobjoy Mint under license — one of several private minting houses that have handled Cook Islands bullion and collector coinage for decades, given that the islands themselves operate no mint of their own. Mintages on these issues are typically set by anticipated collector demand rather than any domestic monetary need, as Cook Islands gold coinage has never circulated.