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 characters and themes from popular culture.
This coin is part of the Auspicious Coin Collection by the Singapore Mint, and features a waving cat and the character for blessing.
The “beckoning cat”, or more widely known as the Fortune Cat, is believed to bring good luck and fortune to its owner. Raising its left paw signifies a welcoming gesture that attract customers, thus symbolising the blessings for a successful business.
Originating from the 17th century, a stray cat taken in by the Gotokuji Temple in Japan was believed to have saved a samurai lord from being caught in a thunderstorm through raising its paw and beckoning him to enter the temple. The legend of the beckoning cat spread and since then it has been honored as auspicious figurines placed in temples, businesses and homes. |