Gold Ounce 2021 The Great Old One - Cthulhu, Coin from Tokelau - detailed information

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 of non-circulating coins since 1978. These are denominated in dollars or "Tala" (the local word for dollar) and cents.

The country has also authorised some foreign mints to issue non circulating bullion coins under its jurisdiction, such as this 1 oz (one ounce) gold coin.

This coin commemorates British writer H.P. Lovecraft's horror stories about monster Cthulhu.

Considered a Great Old One within the pantheon of Lovecraftian cosmic entities, Cthulhu was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu" published in 1928. The creature has since been featured in numerous popular culture references. Lovecraft depicts it as a gigantic entity worshipped by cultists, in the shape of a green octopus, dragon, and a caricature of human form. The Lovecraft-inspired universe, the Cthulhu Mythos, where it exists with its fellow entities, is named after it.

The imprisoned Cthulhu is apparently the source of constant subconscious anxiety for all mankind, and is also the object of worship, both by many human cults (including some within New Zealand, Greenland, Louisiana, and the Chinese mountains) and by other Lovecraftian monsters (called Deep Ones and Mi-Go). The short story asserts the premise that, while currently trapped, Cthulhu will eventually return. His worshippers chant "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" ("In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming").