Gold Ounce 2018 US Trade Dollar, Coin from Niue - detailed information

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 one ounce of gold (abbreviated as 1 oz Au, where "Au" comes from the Latin word for gold, Aurum).

The 2018 1 oz Niue US Trade Dollar Gold Coin is the second design in a range dedicated to "trade dollars" and is inspired by William Barber's reverse of the US Trade Dollar, considered by many to be his best creation.

The Mint says about this coin:
During the 1860’s an increase in trade between China and the United States paved the way for a "commercial" US Trade Dollar that could compete with the silver trade coins used by other countries in the Orient. The new American Trade Dollars with a fineness of 90 percent silver and weighing 27.2 grams were minted for export from 1873. Minted until 1878, they were to become one of the shortest lived of all United States numismatic series

Created by commerce, the silver trade dollars of the Orient became the "calling card" for nations looking to exchange silver bullion for luxuries with the Far East. Beautifully designed and faithfully inspired by the original Trade Dollars of Britain, United States, China, France and Japan, The Trade Dollar collection is a series of five trade dollars struck to the highest proof quality in 1oz gold and 1oz silver weights creating a five coin collection to treasure and collect.