5 Dollars Year of the Rat

The Marshall Islands issued commemorative dollars prolifically throughout the 1990s, targeting the collector market almost exclusively — these pieces were never intended for, and never saw, everyday circulation. The lunar series to which this belongs was produced to coincide with the 1996 Chinese New Year cycle, despite the Marshall Islands having no particular cultural or historical connection to the Chinese lunar calendar.

Franklin Mint handled much of the Republic's commemorative output during this period under contract arrangements that critics noted prioritized volume over numismatic significance.