1047) Japanese Trade Dollars: Niue Island in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. has issued the Fourth Coin in the five-coin series titled "The Trade Dollar Collection" depicting five Trade Dollar Coins which shaped commerce in various parts of the world: A Gold 250 Dollar and a Silver 1 Dollar Coin issued in 2019 depicting the Japanese Trade Dollar:

1047)  Japanese Trade Dollars: Niue Island in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. has issued the Fourth Coin in the five-coin series titled "The Trade Dollar Collection" depicting five Trade Dollar Coins which shaped commerce in various parts of the world: A Gold 250 Dollar and a Silver 1 Dollar Coin issued in 2019 depicting the Japanese Trade Dollar:

The Treasury of the Government of Niue Island (located in the South Pacific) has in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. has brought out the fourth coin in this immensely popular five-coin series titled "The Trade Dollar Collection". The Coin Series will feature five of the most popular and sought after trade coins/pieces issued during the mid-19th to the 20th Centuries, which shaped international commerce in various parts of the World.

The first coin in the Series was a Proof quality Collector Coin issued in 2018 and bullion quality coin that featured the design of the "British Trade Dollar", originally issued in 1895.

The second coin in the Series was issued in the second half of 2018 and depicted the Trade Dollar first issued by the United States of America in 1873.

The third coin in the Series was issued in the first half of 2019 which featured the Chinese Trade Dollar, first issued in 1889.

For my comprehensive post on the Chinese Trade Dollar Coin, please visit the following link: 

Chinese Trade Dollars: Niue Island in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. has issued the third coin in the 5-coin series titled "The Trade dollar collection" depicting five Trade Dollar Coins which shaped commerce in various parts of the world - A Gold 250 Dollars and a Silver 1 Dollar Coin issued in 2019

The fourth coin in the Series features a detailed replica of the design which was originally depicted on the Japanese Trade Dollars issued from 1875 to 1877. The Coin is presented in High Relief.

The release of these Trade Dollars marked a significant change in Japan during which time the restoration of Imperial Authority was vested in Emperor Mutshuhito, who reigned from 1868 to 1914. His reign is known as the Meiji Era, which witnessed the introduction of rapid industrialisation and manufacturing that transformed Japan into one of the world's largest and most advanced economies.

The Japanese Trade dollar was, for the most part, an experiment to enter the lucrative markets of Chinese trade, so as to encourage Japanese merchants to increase their own economic activity. The first coins issued in 1875 included the regnal year of "8" and the last were denoted as"10", although some of them were struck in the 11th year of the Emperor's reign.

The first Japanese Trade Dollars were minted on the coining presses bought from the erstwhile Hong Kong Mint.

The Fifth Coin in this Series will feature the French Indo-Chinese Paistre, which was first issued in 1885.

The Coin variants:

The Reverse and Obverse images of an actual Meiji Era Silver Trade dollar. The inscriptions along the periphery on the Reverse read - "420 GRAINS. TRADE DOLLAR. .900 FINE". The Obverse depicts two floral symbols of the Imperial household, the chrysanthemum and the paulonia . In the centre are Kanji characters which identify the coin as "Trade Simplified Silver" .

Both faces are surrounded by an ornate beaded border.

The Gold 250 Dollars Coin:

The Reverse of the Gold 250 Dollars Japanese Trade Coin depicts a classic depiction of a mythical coiled dragon clasping a "Tamashi" (an orb or a treasure sphere).

According to a legend, is a dragon loses its "Tamashi", it will lose its supernatural powers.

Below the intricately engraved dragon is the inscription - "TRADE DOLLAR" (on the lower periphery) and "THE EAST INDIA COMPANY" (on the upper periphery).

The primary design is surrounded by symmetrical patterns and beads.

The Obverse of the Gold 250 Dollars Japanese Trade Coin depicts an image of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, whose initials "IRB" appear below the Queen's neck. The peripheral inscriptions are - "QUEEN ELIZABETH II. NIUE ISLAND. 250 DOLLARS. 2019"

This image was not present on the Japanese Trade Dollars and is a modern day version of the Obverse).

The specifications of the Gold 250 Dollars Coin are:

Denomination: 250 Dollars; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 31.1 grams or 1.0 Oz; Diameter/Size: 40.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 200 Presentation pieces; Country of issue: Niue Island; Minted by: The East India Company Bullion Ltd.; Year of issue: 2019.

The Gold 250 Dollars Japanese Trade Coin representation is encapsulated in the above elegant case and presented in a beautiful box, together with a brief history of the Trade Dollar and a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).

The Silver One Dollar Coin:

The Obverse and Reverse of the One Dollar Silver Japanese Trade Coin

The Reverse of the Silver One Dollar  Japanese Trade Coin depicts a classic depiction of a mythical coiled dragon clasping a "Tamashi" (an orb or a treasure sphere).

Below the intricately engraved dragon design is the inscription - "TRADE DOLLAR" (on the lower periphery) and "THE EAST INDIA COMPANY" (on the upper periphery).

The primary design is surrounded by an Eastern symmetrical pattern and beads.

The Obverse of the Silver One Dollar Japanese Trade Coin depicts an image of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, whose initials "IRB" appear below the Queen's neck. The peripheral inscriptions are - "QUEEN ELIZABETH II. NIUE ISLAND. ONE DOLLAR. 2019".

(This image was not present on the Japanese Trade Dollars and is a modern day version of the Obverse)

The specifications of the Silver One Dollar Coin are:

Denomination: 1 Dollar; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 31.1 grams or 1 Oz; Diameter/Size: 38.6 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Country of issue: Niue Island; Minted by: The East India Company Bullion Ltd; Year of issue: 2019.

Posts on Coins issued by the East India Company Bullion Ltd. in partnership with other countries on this Blog:

1) Limited Edition Gold & Silver coins issued on Sachin Tendulkar "World's Greatest Batsman" by the New Zealand Mint in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. 

2) Prominent Events of Mahatma Gandhi's life depicted on a 5 silver coin set issued by the New Zealand in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd,

3) Chinese Trade Dollars: Niue Island in partnership with The East India Company Bullion Ltd. has issued the third coin in the fiver-coin series titled "The Trade dollar Collection" depicting five Trade Dollar Coins which shaped commerce in various parts of the world: A Gold 250 Dollar and a Silver 1 Dollar Coin issued in 2019 depicting the Chinese Trade Dollar

4) Japanese Trade Dollars: Niue Island in partnership with EastIndia Company Bullion Ltd. has issued the fourth coin in the five-coin series titled "The trade dollar collection" depicting five Trade Dollar Coins which shaped commerce in various parts of the world: A Gold 250 Dollar and a Silver 1 Dollar issued in 2019

Links to some other Posts on coin issues from Niue Islands:

1) Battle of Marathon: Battles that changed History Coin Series: A $2 Silver coin issued by the New Zealand Mint of behalf of Niue Islands in 2018

2) Sachin Tendulkar: "World's Greatest Batsman": Gold & Silver coins issued by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Islands in 2015

3) The Red Dragon, an issue from Niue Island: minted by the New Zealand Mint: "The Mythical Dragons of the World Coin Series": The first Silver 5 Dollars selectively coloured Coin in the Series features the "Red Dragon of Vortigern": Year of issue: 2019

4) "The Four Dragons", Niue Island: Minted by the New Zealand Mint: The "Mythical Dragons of the World Coin Series": The second Silver 5 Dollars Selectively Coloured Coin in the Series features the Four Dragons: the Long Dragon, the Yellow Dragon, the Black Dragon and the Pearl Dragon: Year of issue: 2019

5) The "1001 Arabian Nights Tales": First $2 Silver crown Coin coin in the Series depicts the "story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves": Coin issue date: 29.03.2019

6) Niue Island: "The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor": The "1001 Arabian Nights Tales": The Second Coin in the Series features the story of Sindbadthe Sailor, on a $2 Silver Crown Coin issued by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island in the South Pacific: Issue date: 05/2019