Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary, Coin from Niue - detailed information

Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary, Coin from Niue
CoinGold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary

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 and collector coins under the authority of Niue. These coins are dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to Niue itself. Many of them are in standard bullion sizes - such as a half ounce of gold (abbreviated as 1/2 oz Au, where "Au" comes from the Latin word for gold, Aurum).

This coin commemorates the Centenary (100th anniversary) of the Royal Air Force (RAF), which was founded in 1918, and was issued in a two-coin set together with a British coin marking the occasion.

The Czech Mint says about it:
The Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom is the oldest independent air force in the world. It was formed at the end of the First World War in 1918 and was renowned during the Second World War, when it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain. At that time the island kingdom desperately needed help, and so dozens of Czechoslovak airmen, who had lost their homes because of Nazi occupation, were also involved in the fight.

"Never was so much owed by so many to so few", Winston Churchill told his faithful pilots. "If the Czechs and the Poles did not help the Royal Air Force, we would not have won the battle for Britain", added Squadron Leader George Blackwood, saying that in the event of a loss in the air, nothing would prevent the amphibious German invasion. By the end of the war, the number of Czechoslovaks serving in the RAF had grown to two thousand and at home and abroad they are still remembered as heroes.

The coin of the Czech Mint was made by the academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů, who has rich experience in RAF themes. The obverse designer is Ladislav Vraný.

MintCzech Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 200
Obverse
Niue / Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary - obverse photo

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 · 2018 · ELIZABETH II · 25 DOLLARS ·.

Below the portrait and to the right, the mint mark of the Czech Mint - a crowned monogram of the letters ČM (Česká mincovna).

Obverse Inscription NIUE ISLAND · 2018 · ELIZABETH II · 25 DOLLARS ·
Reverse
Niue / Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary - reverse photo

The reverse designs shows three airplanes from various stages of the century of existence of the RAF.

On the left, a Bristol F.2 fighter symbolises the era of founding, on the right a Supermarine Spitfire stands for the era of the Battle of Britain, and the Eurofighter Typhoon at centre symbolises the present.

In a ring behind, a bi-lingual inscription in English and Czech: 100 YEARS OF THE RAF 100 LET RAF.

The artist's monogram ZF (for Zbyněk Fojtů) is below right.

Reverse Inscription 100 YEARS OF THE RAF
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Included in Set
RAF Centenary, Gold, mintage 200
2 coins: United Kingdom - £2 RAF Centenary 2018, Gold Proof, Niue - 1/2 oz Gold, RAF Centenary 2018
All (14) coins of type: Gold Half Ounce (1/2 oz)
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Gold Half Ounce 2011 Parnassius Apollo Butterfly 1,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait NIUE ISLAND 2011 ELIZABETH II FIVE DOLLARS
Gold Half Ounce 2015 Liberation of Auschwitz 99 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH II · NIUE ISLAND · 25 DOLLARS · 2015 ·
Gold Half Ounce 2015 Battle of Iwo Jima 99 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH II · NIUE ISLAND · 25 DOLLARS · 2015 ·
Gold Half Ounce 2015 Red Army Captures Berlin 99 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH II · NIUE ISLAND · 25 DOLLARS · 2015 ·
Gold Half Ounce 2015 Prague Uprising 99 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH II · NIUE ISLAND · 25 DOLLARS · 2015 ·
Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary 200 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait NIUE ISLAND · 2018 · ELIZABETH II · 25 DOLLARS ·
Gold Half Ounce 2020 Czech Lion 1,000 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait NIUE ISLAND ELIZABETH II 25 DOLLARS 2020
Gold Half Ounce 2021 Czech Lion 1,500 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait ELIZABETH II · NIUE ISLAND · 25 DOLLARS · 2021
Gold Half Ounce 2022 Czech Lion 4,700 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait NIUE ISLAND 2022 ELIZABETH II 25 DOLLARS
Gold Half Ounce 2022 Slovakia Eagle 400 Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait NIUE ISLAND ELIZABETH II - 25 DOLLARS - 2022 -
Gold Half Ounce 2023 Czech Lion 1,700 Public Seal of Niue PUBLIC SEAL OF NIUE 25 DOLLARS 2023
Gold Half Ounce 2023 Slovakia Eagle 600 Public Seal of Niue PUBLIC SEAL OF NIUE 25 DOLLARS 2023
Gold Half Ounce 2024 Czech Lion 1,700 King Charles III - Portrait by Jody Clark CHARLES III · NIUE · 25 DOLLARS · 2024 ·
Gold Half Ounce 2024 Slovakia Eagle 500 King Charles III - Portrait by Jody Clark CHARLES III · NIUE · 25 DOLLARS · 2024 ·
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Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary: Details
CountryNiue
CurrencyNiue Dollar
Coin TypeGold Half Ounce (1/2 oz)
Issued2018
MonarchQueen Elizabeth II
EffigyQueen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait, by Ian Rank-Broadley
Face Value25 (x Dollar)
Total Mintage200
CurrentYes
Material0.9999 Gold
DesignerZbyněk Fojtů, Ladislav Vraný
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size28.0000 mm
Mass15.5600 g
OCC IDLBRP-ERRC-ZBAZ-EMNY
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Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary: Photos
ImageDetails
Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary: Photo Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary / thumbnail Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary
Copyright: Czech Mint
Source
Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary: Photo Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary / thumbnail Gold Half Ounce 2018 RAF Centenary
Copyright: Czech Mint
Source