4192) "60 Years of Self-Government", Cook Islands: Mega-size 10 & 100 Dollars (Silver) and 250 Dollars (Gold) Proof Coins Mark the Anniversary: Coins co-ordinated by Coin Invest Trust – CIT of Vaduz, Liechtenstein and minted by B. H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt at their facilities in Munich on behalf of the Treasury of the Cook Islands: Date/Year of Coins issue: 07.10.2025:
The Government and Treasury of the Cook Islands has issued Gold and Silver Proof Coins celebrating a national event.
A detailed map locating the Cook Islands is shown on the Reverse sof the Silver and Gold Coins.
History:
The Cook Islands were first settled around 1000 AD by Polynesian peoples who are thought to have migrated from Tahiti, located 1154 kilometres or, 717 miles northeast of the main island of Rarotonga.
The first name given by Europeans to the group of present-day Cook Islands was "Gente Hermosa", (or, ‘beautiful people’) by Spanish explorers to Rakahanga in 1606.
Each of the Cook Islands 15 islands have individual names in indigenous languages, and the islands' official name in the Cook Islands Māori language is "Kūki 'Āirani", a transliteration of the English name.
The islands as a whole are named after the English captain and explorer James Cook who visited during the 1770’s.
However he referred to the group as "Hervey Island" which he named after Augustus Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol which the southern island group became known as.
It was the Baltic Explorer Admiral Adam Johann von Krusenstern who first referred to the southern islands as the Cook Islands in his Atlas de l'Ocean Pacifique published in the 1820’s.
Ceded to Great Britain in 1888 to avoid being conquered by French troops as they had done with Tahiti, the islanders' leaders presented a petition asking that the islands should be annexed as British territory.
In October 1900, a British Proclamation was issued, stating that the secessions were accepted and the islands declared parts of British Domains.
The entire territory - including the northern island group was not known as the Cook Islands until after its annexation by New Zealand in the early part of the 20th century.
Having become a self-governing dominion within the British Commonwealth since 1907, New Zealand’s passage of the Cook Islands Act 1915, specifically defined the Cook Islands' area and included all presently included islands. The territory is comprised of 15 islands totalling approximately 236.7 square kilometers or, 91.3 square miles in land mass.
In 1965, the New Zealand Government offered four options to the Cook Islands in a referendum.
- The islanders were given the choice of full independence, self-government, full union with New Zealand or integration into a new Polynesian confederation.
The inhabitants of the Cook Islands opted for self-government within an alliance with New Zealand.
This status has been in place from the 4th August 1965, when a constitution was promulgated.
Since this time, the first Monday in August is celebrated each year as "Constitution Day".
Cook Islanders also have the option of New Zealand citizenship, plus the status of being a Cook Islands national.
Present Day:
- Today, almost 11,000 Cook Islanders call the capital city of Rarotonga their home which equates to nearly 72 percent of the total population of the Cook Islands who lives there.
- Rarotongans are proud of their intact mountain rainforest as well as their endless white sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters.
- It is for this reason that tourists from all over the world come to visit the Cook Islands and why it has become a favourite destination for ‘off the beaten path’ travel.
- Utilising smartminting® Ultra High Relief technology and the addition of vivid colour, the Reverse of the Gold and Silver Coins which is shared on all three options features Rarotonga, the main island of the 15 Cook Islands.
- Shown as a naturalistic panoramic map, it is surrounded by the turquoise waters of the lagoon in the vastness of the blue Pacific and embedded in the surface with a stylised grid pattern.
- Along the right periphery is the text "RAROTONGA" and placed along the lower left periphery is the additional text "NATIONAL CAPITAL".
The Obverse of the Gold and Silver Coins depicts a map of the northern and southern Cook Islands.
Above the primary design along the upper periphery is the text "60TH ANNIVERSARY OF" and along the lower periphery below the design is the additional text "SELF-GOVERNMENT".
On the right half in a separated round field replicating the obverse side of Cook Islands coinage, is an effigy of Charles III designed by Dan Thorne and is surrounded with the denomination and legend "CHARLES III. 2025" and "COOK ISLANDS" placed below the effigy.
Denomination Metal Weight Diameter Quality Mintage limit
10 Dollars .9999 Silver 62.2 g. 45 mm. Proof & Colour 600 pieces
100 Dollars .9999 Silver 1000g. 100 mm. Proof & Colour 60 pieces
250 Dollars .9999 Gold 31.1 g. 33 mm. Proof & Colour 60 pieces
- Available from the 7th October, each large-size silver and gold proof coin is presented in a custom window-effect box for ease of viewing or display and is accompanied with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
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Raj Kumar Srivastava has commented:
ReplyDelete"Nice post."
Thanks Raj.
DeleteRajan Trikha has commented:
ReplyDelete"Wonderful and informative post 👍👍"
Thank you so much Trikha sahab.
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