| Coin | Silver Ounce 2017 Basilica San Vitale Mosaic |
|---|
|
The Cook Islands, a sovereign state in free association with New Zealand, uses two official legal tender currencies. The New Zealand Dollar circulates in parallel with the local Cook Islands Dollar; at the same time, the government also authorises many legal tender coins in the Cook Islands Dollar currency for collector's purposes. Many of them are in standard bullion sizes, including one ounce of silver - such as this coin.
This coin, featuring the Basilica San Vitale Mosaic from the ceiling of the Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna is the third issue in a NumisCollect / CIT series of concave coins featuring "Wonderful Mosaics".
The Basilica of San Vitale is a church in Ravenna, Italy, and one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture in Europe. The Roman Catholic Church has designated the building a “basilica”, the honorific title bestowed on church buildings of exceptional historic and ecclesial importance, although of course it is not of architectural basilica form. It is one of eight Ravenna structures inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. |
|
| Obverse | |
|---|
The obverse of the coin shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the value: ELIZABETH II 5 DOLLARS COOK ISLANDS 2017.
|
|
|
| Reverse | |
|---|
The reverse of the coin shows, above, the coloured mosaic from the ceiling of the Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy.
At centre, in old-style script, the inscription BASILICA DI SAN VITALE.
Below, an image of the exterior of the church; to the left of it, RAVENNA; to the right, VIth CENTURY.
Around below, on a background resembling mosaic stones, the name of the series: WONDERFUL MOSAICS. |
|
| Reverse Inscription |
BASILICA DI SAN VITALE RAVENNA VIth CENTURY WONDERFUL MOSAICS |
|---|
|
| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
|
| Notes | Finish: proof, coloured, concave.
Packing: in capsule, boxed, with Certificate of Authenticity.
NumisCollect Item ID: CK1704 |
|---|
|
|
Search for Cook Islands: Silver Ounce 2017 Basilica San Vitale Mosaic on eBay 