| Coin | Gold Half Gram 2015 Yellowfin Tuna |
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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 design is the first issue in a twelve-year series of bullion coins called Marine Life (or Tokelau Sealife), and features the Yellowfin Tuna.
The Yellowfin Tuna has brightly-coloured yellow sickle-shaped fins that allow it to manoeuvre easily through the waters of the ocean. This warm-blooded fish - most fish are cold-blooded - is a fast and powerful swimmer that can migrate lengthy distances, making it popular for sport fishing. This tuna is a big fish, too, at almost three metres in length and 400kg in weight, and it is also a popular food source. |
| Mint | B. H. Mayer |
Mint Mark | No mint mark |
Total Mintage | 1,500 |
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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 2015 · ~ FIVE DOLLARS - 0,5g 9999 Gold ~.
Below the Queen's effigy is 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 AUA ("Tokelau for God") reflect the strong influence of Christianity in Tokelau. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse design shows a tuna fish swimming above corals.
Around above, the inscription KAKAHI - YELLOWFIN TUNA. Around below, TOKELAU. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
KAKAHI - YELLOWFIN TUNA TOKELAU |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: proof.
Packaging: in capsule and presentation box, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
The coins in the series were developed and produced by Australian company Treasures of Oz, with the initial silver pieces struck by the Highland Mint in the US, and the rest of the coins struck by B.H. Mayer in Germany. |
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| See also |
Coins in the Marine Life series include:
- 1 oz Silver, Kakahi - Yellowfin Tuna, 2014
- 1/2 oz Silver, Kakahi - Yellowfin Tuna, 2014
- 0.5 g Gold, Kakahi - Yellowfin Tuna, 2015
- 1 oz Silver, Mokoha - Great White Shark, 2015
- 0.5 Gold, Mokoha - Great White Shark, 2015
- 1 oz Silver, Hakula - Sailfish, 2016
- 1 oz Silver, Kapoa - Barracuda, 2017
- 1 oz Silver, Mago-Taguta - Leopard Shark, 2018
- 1 oz Silver, Fonu - Loggerhead, 2019
- 1 oz Gold, Hahave - Flying Fish, 2020
- 1 oz Silver, Hahave - Flying Fish, 2020
- 1 oz Gold, Tautu - Porcupine Fish, 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Tautu - Porcupine Fish, 2021
- 1 oz Gold, Hakuhakulele - Lionfish, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Hakuhakulele - Lionfish, 2022
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