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 first release in the Endangered Species series by the New Zealand Mint and features the Venerable Collared Lizard.
The Venerable Collared Lizard, or Crotaphytus antiquus, is a species of lizard endemic to Northern Mexico. Listed as endangered by the IUCN, this species is saxicolous (lives among rocks), often found perched on rocky outcrops in desert scrub areas.
The lizard gets its name from the band around its neck, which, it has been said, resembles the collar of a shirt. This species has a distinct and varied pattern across its skin made up of various earthy tones, olives, cream and dark brown. These distinct designs act as a form of camouflage, which, when coupled with speed and the ability to leap long distances for its size, assist the lizard in escaping predators and hunting prey. The Venerable Collared Lizard uses its long tail to assist in balance and movement.
The declining population of this species has been linked to on-going habitat degradation, mainly due to gravel extraction for building materials in nearby urban areas. At this point in time, there is an urgent need to conserve the Venerable Collared Lizard’s habitat within a limited range and for awareness of this species to be raised. | 
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