Apart from its regular circulating coinage, Solomon Islands has authorised a number of mints to issue collector coins in precious metals, which are legal tender in the country but are not intended for general circulation. Some of them are in the very large one kilogram (1kg) of silver format. These are usually dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to the country itself.
This 1kg silver coin celebrates Arnold Palmer. Mr. Palmer won 92 golf championships in professional competition, including 62 PGA TOUR victories between 1955 and 1973, starting with the Canadian Open. Among his wins were seven major championships: the Masters Tournament (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964); the 1960 U.S. Open; and the Open Championship in 1961 and 1962.
Mr. Palmer received both the Congressional Gold Medal (in 2012) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (in 2004), he was given the PGA TOUR Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, and in 1974 he was one of the 13 initial inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
His philanthropic legacy continues through the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, and every March his Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando hosts the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, a beloved event on the PGA TOUR schedule. |