2018 Cook Islands 25 Gram $5 Silver Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard Gilt NGC PF70UC First Releases

Celebrating Nature’s Curious Armor-Plated Sun Bather – In 99.9% Silver

Check out the little rascal crawling across the face of this coin. This armored dynamo is a sungazer lizard, the largest girdled lizard in South Africa, and the star on this, the fifth coin in the Shades of Nature Series released on behalf of the Cook Islands by Germany’s prestigious Mayer Mint.

Struck in 25 grams of 99.9% silver, this feisty reptile is really brought to life by the Mint’s patented smartminting© technology for achieving dramatic ultra high relief, impressive detail, and extraordinary luster. The coin was also struck in proof quality with gold plating on all of its surfaces except for our rough-looking dragon on the reverse.

Did we say dragon? We sure did. That’s because in 2011 a team of U.S. and South African scientists assigned the sungazer with the new genus Smaug in honor of J.R.R. Tolkein’s famous fire-breathing dragon from his novel “The Hobbit.” Tolkien was born in South Africa and he based part of his description of the gold-loving Smaug on the armored appearance of these lizards from his birthplace.

Your Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard Gilt Silver Proof has also  been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to be in perfect Proof-70 (PF70) condition, a distinction that means your perfectly-graded coin will have ZERO imperfections – showing all features and fields exactly as the engraver and mint intended!

The sungazer is instantly recognizable by a pair of elongated spines at the back of its head and its unique habit of sun bathing. The species is known for lying near the entrance of its burrow and extending its forearms while basking in the sun. Sure, it’s all about regulating its body temperature, but to South Africans, the curious behavior reminds them of retired farmworkers who spend their days sitting out in the sun and soaking up rays. Artisans at the Mayer Mint brought this piece to life through the use of precision laser engraving, which enabled them to execute every fine detail in the lizard’s iridescent scales that stand out exceptionally in silver against the gilt background. As with other issues of the Cook Islands, the obverse features Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

• LATEST DESIGN IN SHADES OF NATURE SERIES – The fifth coin in the Shades of Nature Series South Africa’s sungazer lizard seems to be literally crawling across the face of this coin. Nicknamed “Smaug” by U.S. and South African scientists, it’s a stunning silver-on-gold armored lizard brought to life through the combination of two popular metals complementing each other perfectly. The coin’s obverse features Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a tiara. Her name, along with the name of the issuing country and face value of the coin, are inscribed along the rim.

• STRUCK IN GLEAMING SILVER – Each Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard Gilt Silver Proof was struck in Germany at the Mayer Mint, one of Europe’s leading coin producers, in 25 grams of 99.9% silver. The shimmering silver stands out in beautiful contrast against a gold-plated gilt surface!

• LEGAL TENDER COINAGE – These 2018 Cook Islands Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard 25-gram Gilt Silver Proofs are $5 legal tender in the Cook Islands.

• GRADED IN PERFECT CONDITION – Your Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard Gilt Silver Proof has been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to be in perfect Proof-70 (PF70) condition, a distinction that means your perfectly-graded coin will have ZERO imperfections – showing all features and fields exactly as the engraver and mint intended!

• LOW LIMITED MINTAGE – The 2018 Cook Islands Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard 25-gram Gilt Silver Proof is one of just 2,000 coins issued for worldwide release.

Just 2,000 of these Cook Islands $5 Shades of Nature Sungazer Lizard 25-gram Gilt Silver Proofs were struck in 2018. To make sure you get yours add one to your cart now before they all scamper off into the hands of other eager collectors!