Silver Ounce 2024 English Lion, 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 coins under the authority of Niue. Most of these are commemorative and collector issues 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). Those issued at prices much higher than their bullion value are separately listed in the Non-Circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) silver ounce section of the site.

Unlike them, this coin is targeted at bullion investors and was initially released at a price close to the value of its precious metal content.

This silver bullion coin is part of a European Mint range featuring symbols of the British Isles, and pays tribute to the English Lion

The English lion emblem traces its origins back to the medieval era, particularly during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart (1189 - 1199). Richard I adopted the lion as a symbol of strength, courage, and monarchy. His epithet “Lionheart” further solidified the association between lions and English royalty.

Over the centuries, the depiction of the English lion emblem has evolved. Initially, it was a single lion rampant (standing on hind legs) on a red background. In the 12th century, this lion was commonly depicted with a forked tail. However, by the 13th century, it became more standardized as a single lion passant guardant (walking with one forepaw raised and facing the viewer) on a red background, and the current depiction is three lions passant guardant.