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5 Dollars - Elizabeth II Crab Akragas
| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1972-date) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A boldly rendered crab in high relief dominates the field, depicted frontally with both claws raised and eight legs spread symmetrically, inspired by the iconic crab type of ancient Akragas (modern Agrigento, Sicily), one of the most celebrated motifs of Greek colonial coinage. The carapace and limbs are rendered with fine anatomical detail against a granular, stone-textured field, evoking the appearance of an ancient struck coin. No legends or inscriptions appear on the reverse, allowing the powerful zoomorphic design to fill the entire flan. |
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| Additional information |
Akragas — modern Agrigento, in Sicily — was among the wealthiest Greek colonial cities of the fifth century BC, and its crab coinage is considered some of the finest archaic Greek numismatic art ever struck. Cook Islands has issued a long-running series reproducing ancient coin designs in fractional gold, targeting collectors rather than any domestic monetary need; the islands' own currency infrastructure runs on the New Zealand dollar in practice.