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250 Dollars - Charles III Arethusa
| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 2023 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1972-date) |
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| Obverse description | Tribute effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II facing right, diademed and with elaborately styled hair, rendered in high relief with an antiqued finish. A pearl drop earring is visible at the neck. The obverse legend reads ELIZABETH II to the left and COOK ISLANDS to the right, with 250 DOLLARS across the upper field. The purity and weight designations 1oz Au .9999 appear to the left of the truncation, the engraver's initials IRB are inscribed below the bust, and the date 2023 is positioned at the bottom of the field. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Left-facing bust of Arethusa, the Sicilian nymph of classical antiquity, rendered in deeply sculpted high relief with an antiqued gold finish inspired by the celebrated tetradrachm coinage of ancient Syracuse. Her elaborately braided and coiled hair is richly adorned with pearl-beaded diadems and ornate jewelled accessories. A pendant earring of intricate design hangs at her neck, which is encircled by a fine bead necklace. Two dolphins, emblematic of the Arethusa type, leap dynamically in the field to the left and right of the bust. The mintmark initials CI appear in the lower left field. |
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| Additional information |
Arethusa, the freshwater nymph of Greek myth who fled the river god Alpheus by transforming into an underwater spring, became one of the most reproduced coin types in antiquity — her image dominated the silver dekadrachms of Syracuse from the late fifth century BC, cut by engravers who signed their dies, an almost unheard-of practice in the ancient world. Kimon and Euainetos are the two names that survived. Cook Islands has drawn on that Syracusan tradition repeatedly for bullion issues aimed squarely at the collector market for classical-themed gold.