Silver Ounce 2013 Animal Skins - Croceye, 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, 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 - typically, one ounce of silver (abbreviated as 1 oz Ag, where "Ag" comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum). Many of these feature various animals.

This coin is the second release in the Animal Skins series and depicts a Crocodile Eye ("Croceye").

The first crocodiles appeared 240 million years ago, at the same time with the dinosaurs (to which they are related), had less than 1 m in length and ran on two feet! That’s why even today, crocodiles have longer hind limbs than fore limbs. The largest crocodile species is saltwater crocodile encountered from India to northern Australia and Fiji. It can reach 7 m in length and 1 tonne in weight. Crocodile skin is considered one of the finest and best, being soft and durable. In many tribal societies, skin crocodile is used as a symbol of high status. The value of the crocodile skin has been fuelling an intense poaching and today many of the 23 species of crocodiles and relatives are threatened, many populations being wiped out. The salvation of the crocodiles could come from the crocodile farms.

Crocodiles have a special eye background. When light is incident into the crocodile eye, it appears to glow. Behind the retina is a layer which reflects light like a mirror. Since crocodiles often hunt in the evening or at night, their eyes have adapted their way of life and developed catlike, slit pupils (both with glasses and with lids). They are equipped with a great vision in dim light, but they can not perceive colours. Brightness draws the pupil a thin vertical line, while in the twilight, the pupil will be extended into a large round circle. To "cry crocodile tears" is a common expression which is used for depicting fake sadness. It has its origins in the myth according to which reptiles weep while eating humans. But, believe it or not, crocodiles really do cry while feasting, but rather due to physiological reasons than remorse.