Silver Three Ounces 2017 Gods of the World - Quetzalcoatl, Coin from Cook Islands - detailed information

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.

Collector coins are dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to the country itself. Many of them are in standard bullion sizes, including the large three ounces of silver format - such as this coin.

The Mint says about this coin:
The first issue in the Gods of the World series is dedicated to Quetzalcoatl of Mesoamerican (Aztec and Maya) mythology. Minted in 3oz pure .999 silver on a 50mm blank using Smartminting which gives it an ultimate high relief, with added special antique finish with dark highlights.

Quetzalcoatl forms part of Mesoamerican legends and is a deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means “feathered serpent”. The worship of a feathered serpent is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period (400 BC - 600 AD) of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout Mesoamerica by the Late Classic period (600 - 900 AD).