| Coin | Silver Two Ounces 2019 Czech Lion |
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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 - including two ounces of silver (abbreviated as 2 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 two ounces 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 coin is part of the "Czech Lion" series of gold and silver coins, minted since 2017 with a new design every year. The weight of this silver coin by the Czech Mint is two troy ounces.
The Mint says about it:
The author of the original 2019 composition was medal maker Jaroslav Bejvl, who left us forever at the age of 75, so he did not manage to finish his masterpiece; Asamat Baltaev completed this masterpiece. The reverse side of the coin is dominated by a non-traditionally realistic two-tailed lion which guards the St Wenceslas crown, along with a flaming eagle on the shield. |
| Mint | Czech Mint |
Mint Mark | Monogram ČM |
Total Mintage |
5,000
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the value: NIUE ISLAND ELIZABETH II · 5 DOLLARS · 2019 ·.
Below the portrait, a sprig of linden - the Czech national tree. Below left, above the I in ISLAND, the mint mark of the Czech Mint - a crowned monogram of the letters ČM (Česká mincovna). |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin represents a realistic depiction of a resting lion with a double tail, guarding a shield depicting the eagle of Moravia and Silesia, two of the three historical Czech lands represented on the Coat of Arms of the Czech Republic (the outlines of the two eagles are identical, they only differ in colour, which is not shown on the coin). On a cushion above the shield, the crown of St Wenceslas (Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia between 921 and 935).
Around left, facing outward, the inscription ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA (Czech Republic). Around above right, the precious metal content: 2 oz Ag 999 (two troy ounces of 99.9% silver; Ag is abbreviated from "Argentum", the Latin word for silver).
In the lower left just above the exergue line, the designer's monogram. In the exergue, a sprig of linden - the Czech national tree. |
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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: bullion (Brilliant Uncirculated).
Packaging: in protective capsule in light wooden box, with Certificate of Authenticity.
Czech Mint Product Code: 75579-750
Date of issue: February 2019
Issue price: 2,390 CZK
4,470 coins in capsules, plus 500 in blister cards and 30 in sets. |
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