Coin | Silver Two Ounces 2022 Cernunnos |
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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 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 a range featuring gods and goddesses from Ancient mythology, and is dedicated to Cernunnos.
In ancient Celtic and Gallo-Roman religion, Cernunnos or Carnonos is a god depicted with antlers, seated cross-legged, and is associated with stags, horned serpents, dogs and bulls. He is usually shown holding or wearing a torq (torc) and sometimes holding a bag of coins (or grain) and a cornucopia. |
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Obverse | |
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: ELIZABETH II NIUE ISLAND · 5 DOLLARS 2022 ·.
Below the portrait on its right side, the small MW mint mark of the Mint of Poland (m over W), for Mennica Warszawska (Mint of Warsaw).
Around below right, the hallmark Ag 999 (99.9% silver; "Ag" is abbreviated from Argentum, the Latin word for silver, and is internationally used to mark silver coins and jewellery). |
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Reverse | |
The reverse depicts the ancient horned god Cernunnos, holding a large snake in his right hand and a triskelion-shaped knife in his left hand. Above him, a Celtic decoration.
The decoration, and part of the background, are green - done with a green resin fill.
Around above, the inscription CERNUNNOS. |
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Reverse Inscription |
CERNUNNOS |
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Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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Notes | Finish: antique, selective gold plating, Ultra High Relief. Packaging: boxed, with a Certificate of Authenticity. |
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See also |
Silver two-ounce coins issued for Niue and depicting Ancient gods and goddesses: - 2 oz Silver Antique, Gods - Zeus, 2021 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Ares and Mars, 2021 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Tyche and Fortuna, 2021 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hera and Juno, 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hermes and Mercury, 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Goddess of Justice - Themis, 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, God of the Sea - Triton, 2022 - 2 oz Silver Proof, Goddess of Love - Freyja, 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Cernunnos, 2022 - 2 oz Silver Proof, Isis, 2022
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