The Cook Islands have issued the second in the World of Parrots series of 3D effect coins which like an earlier series from Coin Invest Trust depicting exotic butterflies, employs a special minting technique in which the wings raise up from the coin to give a kind of 3D effect. Not a particularly sophisticated effect, it does endow the coin with a pseudo-3D effect that from a regular viewing distance is quite effective.

This second coin depicts the Rainbow Lorikeet, a parrot indigenous to Australia, common along the eastern seaboard, and inhabiting the rainforest, woodland and coastal bush environments in the region.  In what is becoming increasingly common in todays connected world, the parrot has also been introduced to Perth, Western Australia;  Auckland, New Zealand; and Hong Kong, all illegally. It is considered a pest in the first two cities and it’s common nature throughout most of its habitat mean that for a change, a coin is depicting an unthreatened animal.

Struck in 20g of sterling 0.925 silver, the coin shows a Rainbow Lorikeet in flight, wings extended, a second bird perched in some colourful flowers in the background to the bottom left. The rest of the background depicts a clean-struck forest and some inscriptions of the date, series title, and coin title. The obverse has the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank Broadley. Packaged in a nice snapper case with a well done coloured shipper, its an interesting piece for those that enjoy the unusual.

Available from many dealers, we’ve also noticed that its just appeared in the Royal Canadian Mints website at $139.95 CAD.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

SPECIFICATION

ADVERTISEMENTS