| 5 pounds | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Country | |
| Value |
5.00 pounds (fictional) |
| Years | |
| Measurements and composition | |
| Mass |
|
| Diameter |
38 mm |
| Thickness |
3 mm |
| Composition |
|
| Appearance | |
| Shape |
round |
| Alignment |
medallic |
| Edge |
reeded |
| Obverse |
Akeem Joffer and caption, state title |
| Reverse |
Emblem of Zamunda, state title, value, year |
| v · d · e | |
The 5 pound coin is a fantasy coin of the Kingdom of Zamunda, a fictional African country in the 1988 film Coming to America. The film's distributor, Paramount Pictures, contracted the American based Continental Coin Corporation to strike the piece in three or four metals. Examples made of cupronickel or brass-plated cupronickel were handed out at the film's California premiere. A gold-plated coin was used as a prop in the movie, and a single gold piece was reportedly struck as a presentation gift for Eddie Murphy (1961–), the film's writer and leading actor.
The coin is not considered legal tender anywhere in real life, and only holds value to collectors of coin-like objects, movie props, or movie memorabilia. In the film, it has a face value of 5.00 Zamunda pounds.
Description[]
The coin reportedly exists in four metals: cupronickel, brass and gold-plated cupronickel, and gold. The cupronickel and brass-plated cupronickel pieces respectively weigh 26.7 and 23.6 grams. Regardless of composition, the piece is about the size of a crown, measuring 38 millimeters in diameter and 3 millimeters in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a reeded edge, and like most coins, is round in shape. Both of the piece's rims are raised and decorated with a dentillated border.
A profile bust of Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy), the prince and heir apparent of Zamunda, appears in the center of the obverse. In the image, Akeem is shown facing left, wearing a crown on his head, a necklace around his nape, and a suit and tie on his upper torso. Printed in a counterclockwise direction below, along the coin's rim, is the caption "AKEEM". It is accompanied by the state title "ZAMUNDA", which is inscribed in the opposite direction at the piece's upper boundary, above Akeem's likeness. Featured in the center of the reverse is the emblem of Zamunda, which consists of a lion rampant holding a circular flaming object, possibly the sun. "ZAMUNDA" is printed next to the emblem, extending clockwise along the reverse's upper left periphery. It is followed by the face value, "FIVE POUNDS", which is engraved in the same direction at the upper right rim. The Gregorian date of minting, "1988", appears at the bottom of the piece in smaller print, arched counterclockwise along the piece's bottom periphery.
Appearance in Coming to America[]
- "The land is so big, the choices so infinite. Where shall we go? Los Angeles or New York?"
"We'll let fate decide. Heads, New York. Tails, Los Angeles."
[flips coin]
"We go to New York." - ―Semmi and Akeem[src]
The coin used in the film
In Coming to America, a gold-plated piece is used as a prop. Akeem decides to travel to the United States in order to find a woman who will love him for who he is, not because of his wealth and social status. When he informs his best friend and aide, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), about this plan, Semmi asks where in the United States they should go, specifically mentioning Los Angeles and New York City. Akeem pulls out a coin and flips it, designating New York as "heads" and Los Angeles as "tails". The camera zooms in on the coin, which is briefly shown with the "heads" side up.
See also[]
- Zamunda 100 pound banknote
References[]
- Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – Zamunda, 5 Pounds X# 1 (1988) • Zamunda, 5 Pounds X# 1a (1988) • Zamunda, 5 Pounds X# 1b (1988) • Zamunda, 5 Pounds X# 1c (1988)
- Chiefa Coins – Kingdom of Zamunda
- Numista – 5 Pounds (Prince Akeem) (English) (French)
Coming to America on the English Wikipedia- Readable – Coming to America: English Transcript
