Fifty Pence 2018 Rockhopper Penguin, Coin from Falkland Islands - detailed information

The Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, uses the Falkland Islands Pound as its currency; it is a variation of the United Kingdom Pound Sterling and has always been pegged to it at par. Coins and banknotes of both currencies are used interchangeably on the islands, although the reverse is not true - Falkland Islands coins and notes are not legal tender in the United Kingdom.

Apart from the regular circulation coinage, the territory also issues a large number of Non-Circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) coins in the 50 pence denomination. Some of these are round, and some of them are seven-sided and have the same specifications as their United Kingdom counterpart.

This coin is part of the Falklands Penguins II 50p Series by the British Pobjoy Mint, and features the Rockhopper Penguin.

The Mint says about it:
Pobjoy Mint is delighted to announce the release of the final coin of the popular set of five coins featuring the five breeds of penguin that are resident on the Falkland Islands at some point during the course of the year. With over 1 million penguins nesting of the Islands, it is no wonder that the Falkland Islands is known as the penguin capital of the world!

The smallest and most agile penguin in the Falkland Islands, the Southern Rockhopper is easily recognisable with its straight thin yellow eyebrows with yellow plumes hanging above and behind the eyes. Unlike other breeds of penguin who get around obstacles by sliding or awkward climbing, rockhoppers will try and jump over boulders and across cracks. The breed is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature with the population declining by a third in the last three decades.