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2 Pa'anga - Taufa'ahau Tupou IV Swimming
| Issuer | National Reserve Bank of Tonga |
|---|---|
| Year | 1988 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 65 mm |
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| Reverse description | Central design depicts two competitive swimmers in the starting dive position, captured in dynamic low relief against a stylized pool background with lane dividers and water surface detail; the foreground figure wears a swim cap and goggles. The design is enclosed within a raised inner circle. The legend XXIV OLYMPIAD SEOUL arcs around the upper periphery, while the lower legend reads FIVE OUNCES 2 PA'ANGA FINE SILVER, flanked on each side by decorative floral ornaments. |
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| Mintage | 1988 - Proof - 2,000 |
| Additional information |
Issued to mark Taufa'ahau Tupou IV's participation in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where the Tongan king — at that point well over 200 kilograms — competed in the 50-meter freestyle at age 70, becoming one of the oldest athletes in modern Olympic history. He did not advance past the heats, finishing last in his race by a considerable margin, but his participation was entirely legitimate: Tonga had no qualifying standards to meet, and the IOC accepted the entry.
The coin's 155-gram silver format places it firmly in the "collector bullion" category that Pacific island nations exploited aggressively through the late 1980s.