| Coin | Gold Half Gram 2022 Czech Lion |
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Niue, a sovereign state in free association with New Zealand, uses two official legal tender currencies. The New Zealand Dollar is the circulation currency for daily transactions, while the government also authorises legal tender coins in the Niue Dollar currency for collector's purposes.
A number of mints issue a large variety of commemorative, collector and bullion coins under the authority of Niue. These coins are dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to Niue itself. Some of them are in the mini-coin format of half gram of gold (abbreviated as 0.5 g Au, where "Au" comes from the Latin word for gold, Aurum).
This coin is part of the Czech Lion series of bullion coins issued every year by the Czech Mint with a new design.
The Mint says about the series:
The best-known story of how the exotic lion became the symbol of the Czech country is the tale of Bruncvík - a mythical prince who travelled to Africa, where he helped the animal king to fight the dragon, belongs to the most famous stories of how an exotic lion became a symbol of the Czech land. Old chroniclers offer a more plausible explanation. According to them, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa rewarded Prince Vladislaus II with a royal crown and a new heraldic animal, which replaced the previous eagle in 1158.
The lion represented the knight's virtues, strength and courage, which were demonstrated by Vladislaus during the conquest of Milan in the imperial service. And how did the heraldic beast come to its second tail? Heroism played a key role again. King Ottokar I of Bohemia helped Emperor Otto IV. in the fight against the Saxons in 1204, and the Czech lion received a second tail for it, which distinguished it from the beasts of other nations and provided it with a unique prestige. However, medieval writers liked to colour their stories, therefore they are not a reliable source of information. The first verifiable Czech lion was a symbol of the Přemyslid dynasty and appears on the equestrian seal of Vladislaus Henry from 1203. Only Ottokar II, the Iron and Golden King, placed the lion on the coat of arms. |
| Mint | Czech Mint |
Mint Mark | Monogram ČM |
Total Mintage | 12,500 |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the value: NIUE ISLAND 2022 ELIZABETH II 5 DOLLARS.
The effigy and legend are in a shield at the centre of the obverse. The wide rim around it has a relief pattern of a "flaming eagle" representing Moravia and Silesia, two of the three historical Czech lands represented on the Coat of Arms of the Czech Republic (the outlines of the two eagles are identical, they only differ in colour, which is not shown on the coin).
On the right, the mint mark of the Czech Mint - a crowned monogram of the letters ČM (Česká mincovna). |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin represents a realistic depiction of a lion's head, crowned with the crown of St Wenceslas (Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia between 921 and 935).
Around below near the rim, the inscription ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA (Czech Republic). In smaller letters in the inner circle above that, the precious metal content: 0.5g Au 999.9 (half gram of 99.99% gold; Au is abbreviated from "Aurum", the Latin word for gold).
In the left field, the designer's monogram.
Decorating the rim are leaves of linden - the Czech national tree. |
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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: bullion (Brilliant Uncirculated).
Packaging: in themed sheet of 25 units which can be broken down into separate mini blister-card pieces.
Date of issue: March 2022 |
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| See also |
Coins in the Czech Lion series issued in 2022 include:
- 1 oz Palladium, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1 oz Platinum, Czech Lion, 2022
- 10 kg Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 5 kg Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1 kg Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 10 oz Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 5 oz Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1 oz Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1/2 oz Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1/4 oz Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1/25 oz Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 0.5 g Gold, Czech Lion, 2022
- 5 kg Silver, Czech Lion, 2022
- 3 kg Silver, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1 kg Silver, Czech Lion, 2022
- 10 oz Silver, Czech Lion, 2022
- 5 oz Silver, Czech Lion, 2022
- 2 oz Silver, Czech Lion, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Czech Lion (Queen Elizabeth II obverse), 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Czech Lion (Public Seal of Niue obverse), 2022
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