Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
50 Tala - Tanumafili II Discus Thrower
| Issuer | Samoa |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Tala |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A dynamic rendering of the classical Discobolus — the ancient Greek discus thrower — is depicted in high relief at center, adapted after the celebrated sculpture by Myron, shown in a powerful coiled athletic pose with the discus raised above and behind the figure. The legend OLYMPIC GAMES 1996 arcs along the upper periphery, referencing the Atlanta Summer Olympics. The issue year 1993 appears in the lower right field. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Samoa's 1993 gold commemorative program coincided with the lead-up to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, part of a broader wave of Pacific island nations licensing Olympic-themed coinage through the Franklin Mint and similar contractors. The .5833 fineness — 14-karat — is a deliberate cost-reduction choice, common in this production tier, allowing a coin to market at a lower price point while retaining nominal gold content.
Tanumafili II held the position of O le Ao o le Malo, head of state, from 1962 until his death in 2007 — the longest-serving such figure in Samoan history. His portrait appeared on virtually every commemorative issue Samoa produced during this period, making the series more a record of his tenure than of any individual subject depicted.