Cook Islands has issued small-format gold pieces under licensing arrangements for decades, with much of the actual distribution handled by European bullion dealers rather than any domestic monetary authority. This "Cats" issue belongs to a sprawling series of themed fractional golds produced almost entirely for the collector and gift market — pieces that technically hold legal tender status on the islands but were never intended to see a cash register in Rarotonga.
Cook Islands has issued small-format gold pieces under licensing arrangements for decades, with much of the actual distribution handled by European bullion dealers rather than any domestic monetary authority. This "Cats" issue belongs to a sprawling series of themed fractional golds produced almost entirely for the collector and gift market — pieces that technically hold legal tender status on the islands but were never intended to see a cash register in Rarotonga.