Catalog
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| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 2008 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Square |
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| Obverse description | Rightward-facing draped bust of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a tiara and earring, occupying the central field of the square flan against a deeply mirrored black proof background. The legend ELIZABETH II is inscribed above the effigy in bold raised lettering, while COOK ISLANDS and 5 DOLLARS appear in two lines below. The portrait is executed in the Ian Rank-Broadley style, with fine detail in the hair and drapery. The coin's square format gives the design a distinctly architectural framing. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | ELIZABETH II COOK ISLANDS 5 DOLLARS |
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| Additional information |
Cook Islands issued a substantial run of square silver devotional coins in the late 2000s under licensing arrangements that allowed the territory to generate revenue through collector-market novelties — a practice that drew repeated criticism from numismatic organizations for blurring the line between legal tender and souvenir merchandise. This piece belongs to that apostles series, with the Swarovski crystal inlay added through a post-minting application process developed by Austrian manufacturer partnerships common to several European coin producers of the period.