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 standard bullion sizes, including the large two troy ounces (2oz) of silver format.
This coin is part of the Tiffany Art series by CIT Coin Invest, and is dedicated to Neoclassicism, the 18th century movement in the visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture reviving the principles of ancient Greek and Roman art. |
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 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, the name of the country: REPUBLIC OF PALAU. Below, the face value 10 DOLLARS.
The emblem and inscription are small and are in the lower left part of the obverse.
The rest of the design represents the neoclassical Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch) in Paris, with a green glass insert in its centre. |
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