| Coin | Silver Two Ounces 2004 Meteorite NWA 267 |
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The Republic of Liberia has been issuing its own coinage denominated in Liberian Dollars since 1847. Apart from the circulating coinage, the country also allows some foreign mints to issue non-circulating commemorative coins under its authority. These are usually 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 two ounces (2oz) of silver format.
This coin is the first release in the "Meteorite Impacts" collection which is issued in a number of different countries; all coins in it feature an embedded original piece of a specific meteorite - in this case, Meteorite NWA 267.
This meteorite was once a pile of weathered unclassified meteorite fragments brought to the 2000 Denver show by a Moroccan fossil dealer. These fragments, 73.9 kg. worth, where purchased by Canadian meteorite dealer Dean Bessey, who was told the following on the meteorites: "A nomad found an area with a lot of unusual strange stones near the Morocco/Algeria border. He brought one to a fossil dealer and asked: "I hear that you will pay money for stones like this". After shaking his head in disbelief at a positive response, the nomad gathered up all his camels, wives and children and brought them into the desert to search over his personal strewn field." Or at least that is how the story goes.
Many thousands of stones, 73.9 kilograms, were recovered, most of these fragments under 20 grams. This meteorite is believed to have come from the Hebe class asteroids. |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse design displays the Coat of Arms of Liberia; it features a shield displaying a picture of a 19th century ship arriving home (Liberia) - a symbol of the freed slaves brought back home from the United States, who founded the country. On a ribbon below the shield is the name of the country, REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA, and above is a scroll with the national motto: THE LOVE OF LIBERTY BROUGHT US HERE. Within the shield are several elements, including: a plough and spade (representing dignity and labour), a rising sun (the birth of a nation), a palm tree (prosperity), and a white flying dove with an open scroll in its claws (for peace).
Around above, the name of the country, REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA. Below, the face value 10 DOLLARS. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse design depicts an African nomad on a camel in a Sahara desert landscape under a starry sky, with a meteor falling to Earth above.
Around above left, the inscription METEORITE NWA 267.
In the right field, an insert with pieces of the actual meteorite.
On the sands below, near the rim, the date of issue 2004. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
METEORITE NWA 267 2004 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: proof, meteorite insert.
CIT Item ID: 21172 |
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| See also |
Coins in the Meteorite Impacts collection include:
- 2 oz Silver, Meteorite NWA 267, Liberia 2004
- 25 g Silver, Nantan Meteorite, Palau 2006
- 25 g Silver, Brenham Pallasite Meteorite, Cook Islands 2007
- 1/4 oz Gold, Pultusk Meteorite, Cook Islands 2008
- 25 g Silver, Pultusk Meteorite, Cook Islands 2008
- 25 g Silver, Observation of Mars, Cook Islands 2009
- 25 g Silver, Meteorite HAH 280, Cook Islands 2010
- 20 g Silver, Muonionalusta Meteorite, Cook Islands 2011
- 20 g Silver, Seymchan Meteorite, Cook Islands 2012
- 20 g Silver, Chelyabinsk Meteorite, Cook Islands 2013
- 1 oz Silver, Moldavite Impact, Cook Islands 2014
- 1 oz Silver, Chondrite Impact - Meteorite NWA 4037, Cook Islands 2015
- 1/2 oz Silver, Tamdakht Meteorite, Cook Islands 2016
- 1/2 oz Silver, Chergach Meteorite, Cook Islands 2017
- 1/2 oz Silver, Erfoud Meteorite NWA 6827, Cook Islands 2018
- 1/2 oz Silver, Estacado Meteorite, Cook Islands 2019
- 1 oz Silver, Viñales Meteorite, Cook Islands 2020
- 1 oz Silver, La Ciénega Meteorite, Cook Islands 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Aba Panu Meteorite, Cook Islands 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Tenham Meteorite, Cook Islands 2023
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