Samoa's 2011 coinage reform replaced the old copper-nickel series with nickel-plated steel, a cost-driven decision common among Pacific island nations managing tight seigniorage margins on low-denomination circulation coinage. The Central Bank made the switch as global nickel prices remained volatile following the commodity spike of the late 2000s.
Samoa's 2011 coinage reform replaced the old copper-nickel series with nickel-plated steel, a cost-driven decision common among Pacific island nations managing tight seigniorage margins on low-denomination circulation coinage. The Central Bank made the switch as global nickel prices remained volatile following the commodity spike of the late 2000s.