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.
The Mint says about this coin: "The Athenian Owl tetradrachm, named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, is arguably the most popular and recognised ancient coin. It represented about a week’s pay for ancient Greek soldiers. It is said that President Teddy Roosevelt carried an Athenian Owl as a lucky piece.
The owl was associated with Athena very early on in archaic artworks and often depicted perching on her hand. Because of its strong connection with the goddess, the owl evolved into the Athenians' own icon and graced a large variety of coins such as the tetradrachm from as early as the 5th century BC. Since owls were believed to be foreseeing future events, they became a representation of wisdom and intelligence.
On the other hand, due to their nocturnal existence, these animals were equally linked to the occult and the Other world. Their mysterious habits, silent flight and haunting calls have earned them the reputation of superstitious and fearsome beasts in many parts of the world. This ravishing masterpiece is kept in an antique look and impresses with its astonishing ultra high relief. A fascinating contribution to the history of coins." |