Suriname issued this coin to capitalize on the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States — a tournament the country did not qualify for. The series was produced in multiple metal variants simultaneously, a common revenue strategy for small Caribbean and South American central banks during the 1990s, when commemorative coin programs became a meaningful source of hard currency income. KM#44.1b denotes the .500 silver striking, the mid-tier in the set.
The "CuNi 999" designation in the name almost certainly references a companion base-metal variant catalogued within the same KM family.
Suriname issued this coin to capitalize on the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States — a tournament the country did not qualify for. The series was produced in multiple metal variants simultaneously, a common revenue strategy for small Caribbean and South American central banks during the 1990s, when commemorative coin programs became a meaningful source of hard currency income. KM#44.1b denotes the .500 silver striking, the mid-tier in the set.
The "CuNi 999" designation in the name almost certainly references a companion base-metal variant catalogued within the same KM family.