The Very Highest Quality Cook Islands Coins...


Cook Islands Coins CoinsChard 24 Carat Home Page

Jackass Penguin on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Jackass Penguin on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Countries

Obverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Obverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Lion on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Falcon on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Eastern Cougar on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Eagle on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Dolphin on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Humming Bird on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Deer And Fawn on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Alphinei Bex on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Wallaby on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Persian Fallow Deer on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
European Otters on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
Persian Fallow Deer on Reverse of 1991 Cook Islands Silver Proof 50 Dollars
1991 Cook Islands Endangered Wildlife Coin Collection
In 1991, the Cook Islands issued a set of 12 silver proof crowns, struck by the Royal Mint. Perhaps this should be "In 1991, the Royal Mint issued a set of 12 silver proof crowns, endorsed by the Cook Islands?"
Each of the twelve coins features an attractive animal, bird, or fish design, but interestingly none or few of the fauna specimens featured appear to have much connection with the Cook Islands. Perhaps the rarity of each in the Cooke Islands lends greater credence to their status as endangered?

High Face Value
The coins possess a high face value. The Cook Islands use the Cook Islands dollar as their currency, and this is at par with the New Zealand dollar. As we wrote this, on 8th February 2007, the exchange rate was 2.8173 NZD = £1 GBP, making each $50 coin worth £17.48 each, and the complete collection worth £213 at face value alone.

Lightweight - Short-changed?
Considering the high face value, the coins are surprisingly light, weighing only 19.2 grams each instead of the more normal 28.28 grams for British crowns and many other Commonwealth crown sized issues, or 32% lighter. As the coins are the same diameter as normal crowns, this has obviously been done by making them thinner, we can only guess that this was done to reduce their cost, and maximise the revenue or profit to the Cook Islands government and / or the Royal Mint. As the average price of silver in 1991 was only $4.0355 US, the cost saving per coin was only about $1.09, and $13.07 for the whole collection. A typical 1991 exchange rate for the US dollar was 1.89 = £1, making the cost saving less than £7 sterling for the entire collection. We can only conclude that it was shortsighted greed which influenced the decision by the issuing authority to use a tight-fisted, bean-counting approach to this coin issue. It is likely that the coins were sold at prices between about £20 and £30 each, perhaps £300 for the whole collection.

Issue Limits & Mintages
Krause quotes an estimated 25,000 mintage for most or all of the individual coins in this set. The certificate also states an individual issue limit of 25,000 per coin, but then strangely claims an issue limit of only 1,000 complete sets. Taken logically, this can only mean that although 25,000 of each coin were authorised, and probably issued, that it is only the boxed sets with certificates which are limited to just 1,000.
This strikes us as a strange claim, presumably dreamt up by the marketing people, and rather questionable in a legal or consumer protection framework. Presumably this was so that the marketing and advertising blurb for the set could claim an issue limit of only 1,000 sets. In our opinion, this would be very misleading and dishonest, but then again, we are not running the marketing departments of the Royal Mint or Cook Islands treasury. As coin dealers, we have spent over 40 years building our reputation for honesty and accurate descriptions, it seems that government departments the world over can, and do, get away with incredible economies of truth, possibly after consulting their legal departments.

Specifications
DenominationDiameterWeightFinenessSilver Content
$5038.6119.2 grams.925.5710
12 x $50 230.4 grams.9258.85

Notes
Denomination = Face Value of Coin
Diameter = Diameter in millimetres
Fineness = Proportion of silver
Weight = Total weight in grams
Silver Content = Actual fine silver content in troy ounces.

Cook Islands Coins For Sale
All prices on our websites are subject to fluctuation and availability. Please check before ordering.
DateDescriptionMintageGradeAvailabilityPrice £Price $Price €
1991Falcon25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Alpine Ibex25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Eagle Owl25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Dolphin25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991European Otter25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Lion25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Bee Humming Bird25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Jackass Penguin25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Eastern Cougar25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Wallaby25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Deer & Fawn25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Persian Fallow Deer25,000Silver ProofYes£25$50€37.50
1991Complete Collection in Box1,000*Silver ProofYes£250$495€375

Notes
Diameter = Diameter in millimetres.
Weight = Weight in grams.
Mintage = Quantity issued, where known, otherwise issue limit.
* = See Above

Postage & Packing:
UK: At buyer's Risk £3.50 or
Fully Insured £9 (Usually by Royal Mail Special Delivery)
USA: Airmail at buyer's risk $10 or
Fully Insured $20
For further details, please see our Postage & Packing page.

Order Form
Order Form - USA
Order Form - Rest of World

Coins Wanted
We make an active market in almost all world coins, gold or otherwise, including Cook Islands coins. If you have any of these coins to sell, please contact us, or post them to us for appraisal and offer.


If you want to find the value of a coin you own, please take a look at our page I've Found An Old Coin, What's It Worth?

If you have an enquiry about any of our Cook Islands Coins, we'd be happy to answer you, but please note it may be quicker to telephone us. Please see the Contact Us page of our website.


...at the Lowest Possible Price

32 - 36 Harrowside, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1RJ, England.
Telephone (44) - (0) 1253 - 343081 ; Fax 408058; E-mail:
The URL for our main page is: https://24carat.co.uk
Chard(1964) Ltd