The Republic of Palau is an island country in the western Pacific, in free association with the United States. In one way or another, the country has been under US administration since it was established, and has never had its own separate currency - it has always used the US Dollar. However, Palau allows some foreign mints to issue coins under its authority; these are denominated in US Dollars but are only legal tender in Palau, so can in a way be considered to be in "Palau Dollars", even though such a currency does not officially exist.
The coins are usually dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to the country itself. Many of them are in the internationally popular half gram (0.5g) of gold collector format.
The Billiards Ball coin is part of the large Golden Highlights series of specially shaped gold mini-coins by CIT Coin Invest.
The mint says about it: Billiards has been played by kings and commoners, presidents, ladies, gentlemen, and hustlers alike. Evolving most likely from a lawn game similar to croquet, the earliest references to the game in Europe date back to the 15th century. Today, anyone thinking of billiards inevitably associates it with the image of a dark wooden pub, dim lighting and cigarette smoke - a cliché that ought to have been outdated by now. After all, it is not only a professional sport, but also a leisure activity enjoyed by millions of people of all ages around the world. |
Obverse | |
The obverse of the coin features the unofficial "Emblem of Palau" used on much of the country's coinage. It has an ornate shield at centre, on which is depicted the sea god Neptune, crowned and seated on a round stone and holding a trident in his left hand; on the right, a bare breasted mermaid; on the left, a treasure chest. The ground is a beach, featuring waves and a starfish. Above Neptune, a star. Below the waves, the inscription RAINBOW'S END. Above the shield is a native rowing in a single-outrigger canoe.
Around above, surrounded by three stars on the left and three stars on the right, the name of the country: *** REPUBLIC OF PALAU ***.
Below, the face value $1 (one dollar). |
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