| 2,012 cents | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Country |
|
| Value |
$20.12 |
| Years | |
| Measurements and composition | |
| Mass |
31.1 g |
| Diameter |
45.3 × 30.3 mm |
| Composition |
silver |
| Appearance | |
| Shape |
oval-shaped |
| Alignment |
medallic |
| Edge |
plain |
| Obverse |
RMS Titanic, Elizabeth II, state title, value, year |
| Reverse |
Boarding pass, compass, ship's bell, year |
| v · d · e | |
The 2,012 cent coin is a former non-circulating commemorative coin of Niue. It was issued two types in January 2012 in observance of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. Both pieces were authorized by the Government of Niue and struck at the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
The two coins are currently legal tender in their country of origin, each carrying a face value equivalent to 20.12 Niue dollars, the equivalent of 20.12 New Zealand dollars. However, as collectors' pieces, they are not used in general circulation.
Both types are composed of .999 fine silver and measure 31.1 grams in mass. Unlike most coins, the two pieces are oval-shaped, having a horizontal diameter of 45.3 millimeters and vertical diameter of 30.3 millimeters. They have medallic alignment; raised, undecorated rims; and a plain edge.
The obverse of both types was designed by Czech artists Zbyněk Fojtů (1963–) and Milan Sypěna. It features an illustration of the RMS Titanic traveling left with a small iceberg appearing to the ship's port and a larger iceberg displayed to its starboard. On one of the two types, these icebergs are colorized using pad printing. A portrait of an elderly Queen Elizabeth II (1926–; r. 1952–), the head of state of the Realm of New Zealand, including Niue, appears inside a solid circular boundary above the Titanic's deck. This depiction of the queen is based on the coin portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley (1952–), which shows the monarch facing right and wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, one her most recognizable crown jewels. Printed clockwise along the rim above is the state title "NIUE ISLAND", which is followed by a circular point and the caption "ELIZABETH II.". Engraved on two horizontal lines near the bottom of the piece is the face value "2012 CENTS", the numeral rendered in significantly larger print than the following word. Each of the digits in the value partially superimposes the illustration of the Titanic. Written in small print to the left of the image is the Gregorian date of minting, "2012", and inscribed in a similar size to the left of the same illustration is the crowned "ČM" mark of the Czech Mint.
The reverse of the two types was designed by Milan Sypěna. An illustration of a boarding pass to the Titanic appears in the center, and is flanked to the upper left by a compass to and to the right by a ship's bell. Engraved to the left of the boarding pass are the dates "1912" and "2012", respectively signifying the year the Titanic sank and the date of the 100th anniversary. The English legend "100 YEARS SINCE THE TITANIC DISASTER" is inscribed clockwise along the rim above, while the Czech equivalent, "100 LET OD ZKÁZY TITANIKU" is engraved in the opposite direction at the periphery below.
As many as 2,012 proofs of each type were allowed to be manufactured.
References[]
- Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – Niue - 2012 Cents, KM# 786 (2012) • Niue - 2012 Cents, KM# 786a (2012)
- Colnect – 2,012 Cents (2012) • 2,012 Cents (2012 Colorized)
- Czech Mint – 100 years from the sinking of Titanic proof • 100 years from the sinking of Titanic colored proof (Czech) (English)
- Schön, Günter/Kramer, Sebastian, Weltmünzkatalog 21. Jahrhundert 2001–2015, 2. Auflage, 2016, Battenberg Gietl Verlag, ISBN 9783866461208
| Niue dollar | |
|---|---|
| Coins | $1⁄33 • 5 c • 10 c • 20 c • $1⁄24 • 50 c • $1⁄14 • $1⁄9 • $1 • $2 • $3 • $5 • $10 • $15 • $20 • 2,012 c • $25 • $30 • $50 • $100 • $200 • $250 • $3,000 • $10,000 |
| Miscellaneous | Commemorative currency • New Zealand dollar • New Zealand Mint |