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 - for example, two ounces of silver (abbreviated as 2 oz Ag, where "Ag" comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum). Many of these features characters and themes from legends, mythology or religion, such as this one.
This coin is part of the Biblical Series by Scottsdale Mint and depicts the parable of The Good Samaritan. The designs of the series are based on Bible illustrations in Romanticism style by the famous French artist Gustave Doré (1832 - 1883).
The parable of the Good Samaritan is told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. It is about a traveller who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road. First a Jewish priest and then a Levite comes by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveller. Although Samaritans and Jews despised each other, the Samaritan helps the injured man. Jesus is described as telling the parable in response to the question from a lawyer, "And who is my neighbour?" The conclusion is that the neighbour figure in the parable is the one who shows mercy to the injured fellow man - that is, the Samaritan.
The parable has inspired painting, sculpture, satire, poetry, photography, and film. The phrase "Good Samaritan", meaning someone who helps a stranger, derives from this parable, and many hospitals and charitable organizations are named after the Good Samaritan.
The coin has a Proof-Antiqued finish and comes in a Bible Gift Box, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity with the number matching the serial number inscribed on the edge of the coin. The designs on both sides are "rimless" (there is no border around them, so the design can extend to the edge of the coin). |
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