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 Non-Circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) coins for collectors, as well as bullion - such as this half gram of gold piece.
This coin is part of the first release in a bullion range featuring the King Penguin.
The King Penguin is the second largest penguin species in the world, and has an overall population estimated at 1.2 million. In the Falkland Islands there are more than 1,000 breeding adults and over 500 chicks are estimated to be raised each year. As the chicks are reared, both parents see to their chick’s upbringing and share feeding as well protecting their offspring from predators and other penguins who can sometimes try to steal eggs or chicks. It is thought that the Falklands king penguin population expansion may be due to overcrowding further south on the islands of South Georgia. |