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 have a Zodiac-inspired theme.
This coin is dedicated to the 2016 Year of the Monkey (8th February 8 2016 to 27th January 27 2017).
The Monkey - 猴 - is the ninth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.
Chinese Astrology is a prediction theory using Yin-Yang Five Elements. The astrological birth chart built by Chinese Astrology Calendar is a combination chart of Yin-Yang Five Elements and 12 animals. The elements are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth. The animals are Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon and Snake.
All animal signs can be converted into Five Elements. Therefore, every birth chart has its own Five Element weights. The Fire Monkey is the most active and aggressive of the Monkeys. Naturally dominant, he automatically gravitates towards leadership roles and is competitive in whatever he is doing. He will need to be careful not to let this turn into toxic jealousy. In general though, the Fire Monkey is flamboyant and charmingly friendly, and has a large social circle. |
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The reverse of the coin depicts an image of a monkey swinging from a bamboo, captured in high quality red colour (this being the Year of the Fire Monkey).
In the background, the Chinese character for monkey, 猴.
Below, 9 (since the Monkey is the ninth animal in the cycle) and Year of the Monkey.
Around above right, written on the bamboo, the dates of the Year of the Monkey: 7 Feb. 2016 - 27 Jan. 2017. |
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