50 Dollars Killer Whales

The Marshall Islands began issuing commemorative coinage in 1986 under a licensing arrangement that generated controversy almost immediately — critics noted the island nation had no meaningful numismatic tradition and that the program existed primarily as a revenue vehicle aimed at foreign collectors rather than domestic circulation. By the early 1990s, dozens of themes had been issued in rapid succession, diluting secondary market values significantly.

KM#117 was struck at the U.S. Mint's facilities under contract, as the Marshall Islands maintained no domestic minting capability.