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: With the second edition of our successful Big City Lights series, we honour the Australian metropolis Sydney. Over 5 million Sydneysiders, as the city's residents are referred to, spend their days and nights in Australia's largest city. Besides the incredible coastline and iconic Bondi Beach, a world-famous landmark earns a special spot on our coin - the Sydney Opera House. The architectural marvel, with its design famously reminiscent of ship’s sails in the harbour, was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II 50 years ago in 1973. Not to be overlooked is the sheer size of the opera house. At 185 metres long and 120 metres wide, it has roof sections weighing up to 15 tonnes and more than a million tiles on its dazzling roof. |