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).
The 2021 Notre Dame 2 oz Silver High Relief coin has been created by Germania Mint in collaboration with Numiartis. The two companies joined forces to create a unique coin with a motif of the Cathedral Church of Notre-Dame de Paris, which was severely affected by a fire in 2019.
The obverse depicts the magnificent North Rose Window of Notre Dame - a masterpiece in the art of stained glass windows, and Pieta - the priceless sculpture from cathedral’s altar. Since the coin is Niue Island’s legal tender, it also features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The reverse presents the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, with a close-up on its West Rose Window.
The coin is made in high relief, which allows to reflect the beauty of the cathedral in great detail. It is also ennobled with precious metals and colours which highlight the coin’s uniqueness. |