The Pitcairn Islands is a non-sovereign British overseas territory in the Pacific Ocean. Having a population of fewer than fifty people, the territory has no need for local coinage and uses the New Zealand dollar as a medium of exchange. Pitcairn Islands began issuing its first commemorative coins in 1988. Though the Pitcairn Islands dollar is not a true currency in the strict sense of the word and is not used as a circulation coinage, it can be lawfully exchanged as tender and is considered a variety of the New Zealand dollar (although it is not legal tender in New Zealand). The Pitcairn Islands dollar exists only because of the coin collecting market, which provides a major staple for the tiny island nation.
The coins are struck by various foreign mints and use internationally popular formats, such as the large two troy ounces (2oz) of silver size.
This coin is part of the first release of the Ocean Wonders series and features the Turtle.
In the South Pacific, nesting beaches on islands like Tetiaroa in French Polynesia and Vanuatu’s Moso Island provide critical habitat, with females often nesting multiple times in a single season at 10-14 day intervals, though they typically only reproduce every 2-5 years.
The Pitcairn Islands, a remote group of islands in the South Pacific, are home to one of the world’s largest marine reserves, spanning 834,334 square kilometers of pristine ocean ecosystem. Established in 2016, the reserve is a vital effort to conserve global biodiversity, safeguarding unique marine life including sharks, tuna, vibrant coral reefs, and species found nowhere else. Its isolation and minimal human impact make it a critical site for studying unaltered marine ecosystems, providing insights into ocean conservation. |