Coin | Silver Five Ounces 2023 Australia's Funnel-Web Spider |
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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, bullion 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 - including this very large five ounces of silver format (abbreviated as 5 oz Ag, where "Ag" comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum).
The 2023 $10 Funnel Web Spider Ultra-High Relief 5oz Silver Proof Coin is dedicated to the Funnel-web spider, the most dangerous spider species in the world.
Struck from 5 ounces of 99.9% silver in impressive Ultra High Relief, the spider is depicted in great detail on the coin's colorful motive and appears frighteningly realistic. The funnel web spider spans the entire diameter of the coin, which is 65mm, and can be identified by its bold black base coloration. The spider is in its namesake funnel-shaped web, where it waits as a lurking hunter for its prey. The bite of the funnel web spider can be fatal for humans - only since the development of an effective antidote in 1981 no fatalities have occurred. The male individuals in particular are feared, as they often enter populated areas in their search for a mate and behave aggressively there as well. |
Mint | PAMP |
Mint Mark | No mint mark |
Total Mintage |
500
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Obverse | |
The obverse of the coin features the official Public Seal of Niue.
It has an inner circle of hiapo designs, representing the fonua (land), within which are stylised designs of a tree, representing life and tagata Niue (the people of Niue), surrounded by an outer circle in the form of a traditional Niuean garland of 14 seashells (representing the 14 villages of Niue), and crowned with St Edward's Crown (of the United Kingdom), representing the sovereign as head of state.
Around above between the two circles, the inscription PUBLIC SEAL OF NIUE. Below, a ribbon carries the motto ATUA NIUE TUKULAGI on two lines (meaning "God, Niue Eternally"), below which two crossed katoua (Niue fighting clubs).
Around above, the name of the country and the date of issue: NIUE 2023.
Around left, the precious metal content 5oz 999 SILVER (five troy ounces of 99.9% silver); around right, the face value TEN DOLLARS. |
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Reverse | |
The reverse design is coloured and features a detailed depiction of a funnel-web spider in its web.
Around below left, the inscription FUNNEL-WEB SPIDER. |
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Reverse Inscription |
FUNNEL-WEB SPIDER |
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Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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Notes | Finish: Proof FDC, coloured, Ultra High Relief. Packaging: in presentation box, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Release price: AU$ 695.00.
There is no primary information available about this coin; it seems that the coin was commissioned by Australian company Downies and struck by (we guess, unconfirmed) PAMP. |
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See also |
Coins featuring Australian Wildlife produced by Downies (ordered by design / metal / year): - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Tasmanian Tiger, Niue 2011 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Tasmanian Tiger, Tuvalu 2011 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagle, Niue 2012 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagle, Tuvalu 2012 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Tasmanian Devil, Niue 2013 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Tasmanian Devil, Tuvalu 2013 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Frilled Neck Lizard, Niue 2014 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Frilled Neck Lizard, Tuvalu 2013 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Green Turtle, Niue 2014 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Green Turtle, Tuvalu 2014 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Thorny Devil Lizard, Niue 2015 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Thorny Devil Lizard, Tuvalu 2014 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Mahogany Glider, Niue 2015 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Mahogany Glider, Tuvalu 2015 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Blue Tongue Lizard, Niue 2016 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Blue Tongue Lizard, Tuvalu 2015 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Southern Cassowary, Niue 2016 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Southern Cassowary, Tuvalu 2016 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Australian Goanna, Niue 2017 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Australian Goanna, Tuvalu 2016 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Green and Golden Bell Frog, Niue 2017 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Green and Golden Bell Frog, Tuvalu 2017 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Saltwater Crocodile, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Saltwater Crocodile, Tuvalu 2017 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Powerful Owl, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Endangered and Extinct - Powerful Owl, Tuvalu 2018 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Green Tree Python, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Green Tree Python, Tuvalu 2018 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Platypus, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Platypus, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Red Kangaroo, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Red Kangaroo, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Wildlife Up Close - Wedge-Tailed Eagle, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Antique, Wildlife Up Close - Wedge Tailed Eagle, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Wildlife Up Close - Tasmanian Devil, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Silver Antique, Wildlife Up Close - Tasmanian Devil, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Wildlife Up Close - Frilled Neck Lizard, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Silver Antique, Wildlife Up Close - Frilled Neck Lizard, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Australia's Remarkable Reptiles - Snake-Neck Turtle, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Echidna, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Echidna, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Gold Proof (with pearl insert), Great Barrier Reef, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Silver Proof (with pearl insert), Great Barrier Reef, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Wombat, Niue 2021 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Wombat, Niue 2021 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Dingo, Niue 2021 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Dingo, Niue 2021 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Wildlife Up Close - Kangaroo, Niue 2021 - 1 oz Silver Antique, Wildlife Up Close - Kangaroo, Niue 2021 - 5 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Parrots of Australia, Niue 2021 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Leadbeater's Possum, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Leadbeater's Possum, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Barn Owl, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Barn Owl, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Koala, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Silver Proof, Koala, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Platypus, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Platypus, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Honey Bee, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Silver Proof (selective gold plating), Honey Bee, Niue 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Great Australian Desert, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (selective gold plating), Great Australian Desert, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Flying Fox, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Flying Fox, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Azure Kingfisher, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Azure Kingfisher, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Australia's Funnel-Web Spider, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Gould’s Birds - Eastern Rosella, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Gould’s Birds - Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Niue 2023 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Gould’s Birds - Black Swan, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Gould’s Birds - Rainbow Lorikeet, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Peacock, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof (selective gold plating), Peacock, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Rock Wallaby, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Rock Wallaby, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Fairy Penguin, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Fairy Penguin, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Gold Proof (selective platinum plating), Australia at Night - Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Black), Australia at Night - Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Gold Proof (Coloured), Cute and Cuddly - Baby Dingo, Niue 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof (Coloured), Cute and Cuddly - Baby Dingo, Niue 2024
The funnel-web spider also featured on an earlier 1oz coin issued for Tuvalu in the Deadly and Dangerous series. |
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