| Coin | Gold Half Gram 2012 Saltwater Crocodile |
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Tokelau, known previously as the Tokelau Islands, is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It uses the New Zealand Dollar as circulation currency, but has been issuing a variety if non-circulating coins since 1978. These are denominated in "Tala" (the local word for Dollar) and cents.
The gold half gram is a mini-coin denominated as Five Dollars.
This coin is a small gold version of the fourth issue in the Deadly and Dangerous series featuring native Australian animals, and shows a Saltwater Crocodile. |
| Mint | B. H. Mayer |
Mint Mark | No mint mark |
Total Mintage |
2,000
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| Obverse | |
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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 ~ TOKELAU 2012 ~ FIVE DOLLARS.
The rim is decorated with a geometric pattern.
Below the Queen's effigy, the national badge of Tokelau depicting a "tuluma" - a traditional Tokelauan carved wooden “tackle box” used by local fishermen. A cross in the centre of the tuluma and the inscription below, "Tokelau mo te Atua" ("Tokelau for God") reflect the strong influence of Christianity in Tokelau; due to the small size of the coin, the inscription is not visible. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin shows a saltwater crocodile, its mouth wide open; in the background, water lilies.
Around above, the inscription SALTWATER CROCODILE. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
SALTWATER CROCODILE |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | The coins were issued in a six-coin set featuring all designed in the series issued until that point in time.
There is no available primary information on this series; it seems that the coins are commissioned by the Australian company Downies, with the silver coins being struck by the Perth Mint and the gold coins in the series (some with the same designs) by PAMP or CIT. |
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| Included in Set |
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Deadly & Dangerous Gold Coin Collection, mintage 2,000
6 coins: 0.5 g Gold, Red-Back Spider, 0.5 g Gold, Great White Shark, 0.5 g Gold, Blue-Ringed Octopus, 0.5 g Gold, Saltwater Crocodile, 0.5 g Gold, Eastern Brown Snake, 0.5 g Gold, Box Jellyfish
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