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50 Dollars - Elizabeth II 1996 Olympic Games
| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Dollars |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Third-portrait crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, as modelled by Raphael David Maklouf, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, drop earring, and pearl necklace. The legend ELIZABETH II arcs along the left field and COOK ISLANDS along the right field, with the date 1993 positioned in the lower exergue. The designer's initials RDM appear incuse on the truncation of the bust. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | OLYMPIC GAMES 1996 50 DOLLARS |
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| Additional information |
Cook Islands became one of the most prolific issuers of commemorative coinage in the Pacific from the 1970s onward, a direct result of its self-governing status under New Zealand allowing it to maintain its own currency while targeting the international collector market almost exclusively. This 1993 issue anticipating the 1996 Atlanta Olympics was part of a broader wave of pre-Games gold struck by dozens of small-nation mints — most pieces in these series never circulated and were sold directly to dealers and collectors at significant premiums over melt.
The .583 fineness — 14-karat — was a deliberate commercial choice, keeping gold content low enough to price the piece accessibly while still qualifying it as a gold issue.