Cook Islands 2005 10 dollars Fr-104

from Stack's Bowers October 2020 Collector's Choice sale, lot 71353

This specimen was lot 71353 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2020), where it sold for $156. The catalog description^[1] noted, "COOK ISLANDS. 10 Dollars, 2005. PCGS PROOF-69 Deep Cameo. AGW: . Pope John Paul II 1920-2005. Free of tone, haze or fog." The Cook Islands, like many small, impoverished nations, has contracted with private mints to produce and market a large variety of commemoratives marketed in lands far from the issuing country. This is one of an explosion of NCLT's issued on the occasion of the pope's death. The Cook Islands have a population of about 15,000, of whom 17% are reported to be Catholic.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specifications: 1.24 g, 0.999 fine gold, 0.0398 troy oz, 13.92 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Fr-104; KM-1178.

Sources:

• Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 2001-Date, 13th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2018.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The October 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.

Link to:

• 2003 200 dollars, Capt. Cook
• 2006 50 dollars, Henry VIII, 1 oz gold
• 2009 50 dollars, 1 oz palladium
• Coins and currency dated 2005