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Saturday 19 September 2020

1485) "Vinales" - The Cook Islands: "Meteorite Impacts Coin Series" : 5 Dollars Silver Coin issued by the Cook Islands in co-ordination with Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt GmbH issued in 09/2020:

 1485) "Vinales" - The Cook Islands: "Meteorite Impacts Coin Series" : 5  Dollars Silver Coin issued  by the Cook Islands in co-ordination with Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt GmbH issued in 09/2020:

Since 2004, Coin Invest Trust (CIT) has been using the "Meteorite Impacts Coin Series" to incorporate the best ways possible to integrate a meteorite inlay into a coin's design by means of the latest technology. Whether it is colour application, special shapes of the blank, or an artificial crack  - the innovative inlays have crafted these coins into technological master-pieces.

Coin issues from this series have received two awards from international experts.

This coin is the 16th edition in this coin series and follows the tradition of innovative coins in this series.

The Reverse of the $5 (Five Dollars) Coin placed on its side. One can see the High Relief Coin details/contours and the impact of the meteorite recreated on the coin
 

As before, the 2020 edition of the Coin has been minted by enhanced SmartMinting technology in ultra-high relief like none other had been minted before.

The designers have created a three-dimensional reconstruction of the Meteorite impact on this Coin.

Meteor strikes on Earth over the Ages:

Planet Earth has been struck by several meteor strikes which have created "impact craters" all over.

In the early years of its formation (about 4.0 billion years ago), Planet Earth was bombarded with asteroids and comets. The last of the five known events of mass extinction on Earth (about 65 million years ago) was caused by an asteroid crashing near modern day Mexico. The impact resulted in the extinction of nearly 75% of Earth's plants and animal species - including dinosaurs. This impact also resulted in wide-spread changes in the Earth's climate. The Chicxulub Crater town is evidence of this impact/event.

Recorded meteor impacts on Planet Earth:

Till date, a total of 190 confirmed meteor impact craters have been recorded world-wide. The maximum number of impact craters are in Canada (32), USA (28), Australia (27), Estonia (19), Finland (11),Sweden (8), Brazil (7), Ukraine (7), Algeria (4), Kazakhstan (4), South Africa (4), Russia (4), India (2) et al.

Various terminologies:

Asteroids: These are minor planet bodies with a diameter of 1,000 km or less. Lost go around the siun in orbits between Mars and Jupiter. Sometimes their orbits  get distorted and they move closer to the Sun  and they come closer to Planet Earth.

Comets: Unlike Asteroids, Comets are made of ice, methane, ammonia and other compounds which develop into a tail, when they hurtle closer to the Sun. 

Meteoroids: Space debris smaller than Asteroids are called meteoroids.

Meteorites: This is a landed Meteoroid, which has survived the fall through the Earth's atmosphere and lands in Earth.

Meteors: When a Meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it is typically vapourised and called a "shooting star" or "meteor".

The Coin:

The 2020-edition of this Coin Series is dedicated to the Meteorite fall at Vinales in Cuba, the world's most recent event of this kind, which occurred on 01.02.2019. On that day, hundreds of meteorite stones showered down in the area.

It was reported that about 27,000 inhabitants of the tourist town saw a miles-long trail of smoke long before the impact of the meteorite startled them. It was a rare sight, with the meteorites even being seen from the Florida Keys. Upon learning what had happened, a mad scramble started with the inhabitants going to the impact site on a "meteor hunt" to collect pieces of meteorite as "souvenirs". 

The government spread a warning that it was "dangerous to collect the rocks fallen from the sky, as they were radio-active". In all, around 100 kilograms of extra-terrestrial material was collected.

Nevertheless, this was not the case at all and pieces of rock from this meteor impact now adorns this beautiful coin edition.


The Reverse of the 5 Dollars Silver Coin is titled "VINALES METEORITE" (at top left) and at top right is the specifications of the location where it impacted the Earth " 22' 37' 17" N, 83' 44' 57" W".

This stunning piece tells a story of how the meteorite, of which an original 2.5 mm part is embedded, has hit the ground.

Through enhanced SmartMinting technology, one can picture the dynamic impact of the meteorite - the crater starts from the edge of the coin and Ultra-High Relief creates Earth walls in a very realistic way. 

The combination of Proof, Frosted and Satin areas let one see what people in Vinales experienced in 02/2019.


The Obverse of the 5 Dollars Silver Coin features a right facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The initials of the effigy designer "IRB" (Ian Rank-Broadley) are engraved below the Queen's neck.

The peripheral inscriptions read - "ELIZABETH II. 5 DOLLARS. COOK ISLANDS".

The specifications of this Silver Coin are:

Denomination: 5 Dollars; Country of issue: The Cook Islands; Metal Composition:.999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1.0 Oz or 31.107 grams; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage: 2,500 pieces; Technique: SmartMinting; Minted by: B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt GmbH; Co-ordinated by: Coin Invest Trust (CIT); Year of issue: 2020. 

The elegant Box in which the Silver Coin is housed/shipped.

A composite image of the coins brought out over the years in this Coin Series.






Other links to interesting posts on Coins brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of other countries:






14) Pterosauria from the Mesozoic Era - The Age of the reptiles" (70 to 225 million years ago): Fourth Coin in the "Evolution of Life Coin Series" brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of the Republic of Mongolia in 2018

15) Sinraptor (Sinraptor dongi): Fifth Coin in the "Evolution of Life Coin Series" brought out by Coin Invest Trust (CIT) on behalf of the Republic of Mongolia: Coin minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt GmbH issued in 08/2019

16) Diplocaulus: Sixth Coin in the Evolution of Life Coin Series" brought out by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of the Republic of Mongolia: Coin minted by B'H' Mayer's Kunsprageanstalt GmbH issued in 08/2020

17) Velociraptor (meaning "Swift Seizer"), Mongolia (from the Cretaceous Period 75 to 71 million years ago - approx) - "Part I": "Prehistoric Beasts Series": A 2000 Togrog Silver Coin issued by the Coin Invest Trust, minted by BH Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich, in 2018
21) Manannan, the First King of Isle of Man or Mann: A Silver 5 Pounds Coin brought out by the Isle of Man in collaboration with Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich

22) Arowana Dragon Fish, Republic of Palau: A Silver $10 (Dollars) Coin brought out by Coin Invest Trust (CIT) for the Republic of Palau, minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich: Issue year: 2019

Other interesting links to posts from Cook Islands minted by Coin Invest Trust:
The 7-Summits Silver Coin Series:




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