1717) Montezuma II, The Last Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire (Mexico), Samoa: A $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars) Silver Coin commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the end of the mighty Aztec Empire: Year of Coin issue: 2021:

1717) Montezuma II, The Last Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire (Mexico), Samoa: A $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars) Silver Coin commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the end of the mighty Aztec Empire: Year of Coin issue: 2021:

In 1502, Montezuma was the ninth Aztec Emperor of Mexico, taking over for his uncle Ahuitzotl. 

In 1521, Spanish invaders under the Conquistador Hernán Cortéz captured Montezuma II and overran his vast Empire, bringing an end to the last great ancient/native civilization of Mesoamerica whose understanding of the nature's cycles, astronomy, sciences, culture etc was far superior than that of the conquistadors, who were more in the nature of thieves and freebooters, who made little effort to understand the Aztec customs, sciences & culture and destroyed/obliterated a civilisation that was far superior to their own.

The Coin:

The Reverse and Obverse of the $25 (Twenty Five Dollars) Silver Coin placed side-by-side.

On the Reverse of the $25 (Twenty-five Dollars), there is a depiction of Montezuma II, the Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire and the last emperor to serve for any length of time. The word - "AZTEC" is inscribed in stylised font.

Additional Aztec patterns and symbols surround the outer layer. 

In the center of the coin is placed an image of an Aztec calendar. Also known as the "Tonalpohualli" or “Counting the Days,” this calendar formed a 260-day cycle, and had been used since ancient times in Mesoamerica.

The Coin has a stunning three-dimensional effect that is enhanced by the antiqued finish.

The Obverse of the $25 (Twenty Five Dollars) Silver Coin shows an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, whose initials "IRB" are engraved below the Queen's neck.

The peripheral inscriptions are - "SAMOA. 1 kg. Ag 999. 25 DOLLARS". In between the inscriptions on the lower periphery is the Samoan Coat Of Arms/Emblem.

The specifications of this Coin are:

Country of issue: Samoa; Coin Theme: "500th Anniversary of the end of the Aztec Empire"; Year: 2021; Denomination/Face Value: $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars); Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1000 grams or 1.0 kilogram; Diameter/Size: 100.0 mm; Coin Quality: A unique multilayered antiqued finish that gives the coin a stunning three-dimensional effect; Mintage: 199 pieces; Special Technique: Ultra High Relief; Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes; Legal Tender: Yes, in Samoa.

Links to some other interesting posts from South American countries & Mexico:

1) The Evolution of Mexican Coinage

2) The Travels of a Mexican silver Peso struck in 1898; Restruck for the Chinese Government in 1949.

 3) Foreign Mints which have minted coins for India

4) Dios de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed Round issues: 31.10 2017

5) The Travels of a silver Mexican Peso struck in 1898 and restruck in 1949 for the Chinese Government

6) Brazilian Currency: Brazilian Real

7) The 31st Summer Olympics 2015 or Rio-2016 - Brazil

8) Currency and Coinage of Guatemala

9) Currency and Coinage of the Republic of Chile (Part I)

10) Currency and Coinage of the Republic of Chile (Part II)

11) Banknotes and Coinage of Colombia (Part I)

12) Banknotes and Coinage of Colombia (Part II)

13) Currency and Coinage of Mexico - Pesos and Centavos (Part I)

14) Currency and Coinage of Mexico - Pesos and Centavos (Part II)

15) Evita or Eva Peron - A Commemorative/Circulating 100 Pesos Banknote issued on her in 2012

16) Currency and Coinage of Peru: Nuevo Sol and Centavo (Part I)

17) Currency and Coinage of Peru: Nuevo Sol and Centavo (Part II)

18) Currency and Coinage of Peru: Nuevo Sol and Centavo (Part III)

19) 2014 FIFA World Cup held at Brazil  

20) Jaguar - "Wildlife of Nicaragua" Coin series. First Silver Coin of 100 Cordobas issued in 2018

21) Three-toed Sloth - "Wildlife of Nicaragua" Coin Series - Second Silver Coin of 100 Cordobas issued in 2018

22) Giant Ant-Eater - "Wildlife of Nicaragua" Coin Series - Third Silver coin of 100 Cordobas issued in 2018

23) Ocelot: "Wildlife of Nicaragua" Coin Series: Fourth Silver coin of 100 Cordobas issued in 2018

24) Bolivar Soberano (or "Sovereign Bolivar"), Venezuela: (2018 Series of Banknotes) introduced by Banco de National, the Central Bank of Venezuela on 20.08.2018 

25) 50 Boliviano Banknote, Bolivia: The third Banknote circulated by the "Banco Central de Bolivia" (Central Bank of Bolivia) in the new 2018 Banknote Series: This Banknote introduced into circulation on 15.10.2018 

26) A new 100 Boliviano Banknote from Bolivia: issued by the "Banco Centrale de Bolivia" (Central Bank of Bolivia) on 15.01.2019 under its new 2018 Banknote Series

27) Central Bank of Uruguay ("Banco Centrale del Uruguay"): 50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee) - 1967-2017 - celebrated with the issue of a 50 Peso Commemorative Banknote on 14.09.2018

28) "Aconcagua", Argentina: 25 Dollars High Relief Silver Coin: - The third coin in the "7 Summits Coin Series" issued by the Cook Islands in co-ordination with Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt GmbH issued in November 2018

29) Did You Know Series (44): Decoding the Aztec Calendar Sone (or the Sun Stone of Axyacatl)

30) City of Veracruz, Mexico: 500th Anniversary of the Founding of the City: A 20 Peso Bimetallic Circulation Coin issued by the "Banco de Mexico" (Bank of Mexico): Date of circulation: 22.04.2020

31) 500th Anniversary of Havana, Cuba: The Central Bank of Cuba has issued a 500 Peso Commemoratice Banknote: Date of issue: 11/2019

32) Montezuma II, The Last Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire (Mexico), Samoa: A $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars) Silver Coin commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the end of the mighty Aztec Empire: Year of Coin issue: 2021