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5 Dollars Barbary Ground Squirrel
| Issuer | Republic of Palau |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
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| Value | 5 Dollars (5 USD) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a finely detailed high-relief rendering of a Barbary ground squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus) depicted in three-quarter view, seated upright on a rocky surface and holding a small food item in its forepaws. The fur texture and bushy tail are rendered with exceptional naturalistic precision against a stippled field background. A black Swarovski crystal is inlaid as the animal's eye, adding a lifelike accent to the composition. The legend BARBARY GROUND SQUIRREL curves along the right peripheral field, with the binomial scientific name ATLANTOXERUS GETULUS inscribed along the lower left. The year of issue 2013 appears in the lower central exergue. |
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| Reverse lettering | BARBARY GROUND SQUIRREL ATLANTOXERUS GETULUS 2013 |
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| Additional information |
Palau has carved out a reliable niche in the collector bullion market since the 1990s by issuing themed silver dollars under licensing arrangements that have no connection to the island nation's actual fauna or history. This piece belongs to a wildlife series capitalizing on the Swarovski crystal insert trend that dominated novelty bullion production throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, when several mints competed aggressively for the gift and collector market by embedding decorative crystals into standard one-troy-ounce blanks. The Barbary ground squirrel is native to North Africa and the Canary Islands — nowhere near Micronesia.