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5 Dollars - Elizabeth II Papal Visit to Malta
| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 2010 |
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| Shape | Square |
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| Reverse description | Gold-plated figure of Pope Benedict XVI facing forward with arms raised in blessing occupies the right portion of the field, rendered in high relief against a polished black background. Behind him, a detailed cityscape of Malta featuring a church steeple and domed basilica is depicted in silver relief. To the upper left, the gilt coat of arms of Malta is shown, and in the upper right corner a representation of the Maltese flag is inset with two Swarovski crystals — one white and one red — simulating the flag's colours. The legend APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO MALTA appears in two lines at the top of the field, and the date 2010 is inscribed at the lower left. |
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| Mintage | 2010 - Proof - 5,000 |
| Additional information |
Pope Benedict XVI visited Malta in April 2010 — the first papal visit to the island since John Paul II's trips in 1990 and 2001. The visit carried particular weight given Malta's position as one of the most densely Catholic nations in Europe. Cook Islands held a license to issue numismatic commemoratives well beyond its own geography throughout this period, a commercial arrangement that produced dozens of collector issues annually with no connection to Cook Islands circulation.
The embedded Swarovski crystals were sourced under a formal licensing agreement the Austrian firm actively marketed to mint partners during the late 2000s as a premium collector differentiator.