Catalog
20 Dollars
| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 1992 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse carries a central intaglio vignette of a congregation of islanders gathered outside a colonial-era stone church, flanked by tall coconut palms and tropical flowers rendered in letterpress. Along the left margin, a vertical garland of assorted marine shells entwined with white tiare blossoms forms a decorative border against the salmon-toned guilloche underprint. The Cook Islands name and denomination appear in bold red letterpress at top centre and in the lower corners, with a Cook Islands Maori legal tender inscription and the Minister of Finance signature to the right. |
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| Protection type | Watermark |
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| Comments |
The 1992 Cook Islands dollar series, of which this is the highest denomination, was issued under the Cook Islands Monetary Board — a body that manages local currency while the New Zealand dollar simultaneously remains legal tender on the islands. That dual-currency reality meant these notes were always somewhat ornamental in daily commerce, with the NZD dominating actual transactions.
Thomas De La Rue's printing is characteristically clean. The watermark is the sole listed security feature, modest even by early 1990s standards for a $20 note.