One Dollar 2012 The Twelve Apostles - James the Lesser, Coin from Fiji - detailed information

The Fijian Dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents.

Apart from the regular circulating dollar coins, Fiji has authorised a number of private mints to issue collector coins which are legal tender in the country but are not intended for general circulation. These are usually made using "smartminting" or other innovative techniques.

This coin is part of a 12-coin series by the Helvetic Mint featuring the Twelve Apostles from the Bible, and shows one of them - James the Lesser.

James, son of Alphaeus (Ἰάκωβος, Iakōbos in Greek; Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܚܠܦܝ; Hebrew: יעקב בן חלפי‎ Ya'akov ben Halfay; Coptic: ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲁⲗⲫⲉⲟⲥ) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, appearing under this name in all three of the Synoptic Gospels' lists of the apostles. He is often identified with James the Less (Greek Ἰάκωβος ὁ μίκρος Iakōbos ho mikros, Mark 15:40) and commonly known by that name in church tradition. He is also labelled "the minor", "the little", "the lesser", or "the younger", according to translation. He is distinct from James, son of Zebedee and in some interpretations also from James, brother of Jesus (James the Just). He appears only four times in the New Testament, each time in a list of the twelve apostles.

The Mint says about the series:
"Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer with God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Peter (the Prince of the Apostles), Andrew, James the Greater, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the Lesser, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. The Lord chose these holy men for their unfeigned love, and gave them eternal glory. Their message goes out through all the earth until nowadays. Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the end of the world, their message. We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise you."