Obverse (Image: Queen Elizabeth II)
Reverse (Image: Traditional Wood Carving)
Like other islands in the Pacific, the indigenous people of the Solomon Islands bartered or used items of value such as cowrie shells and whale teeth as currency. Coins began to replace these items when Europeans started colonizing this nation consisting of almost 1,000 islands. The Solomon Islands introduced its own currency in 1977, one year after achieving self-government. The islands became an independent nation in 1978 and are now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The currency of the Solomon Islands is the dollar, with one dollar divided into 100 cents.
The seven-sided 1 dollar coin depicts Queen Elizabeth II, the Monarch of the Solomon Islands and head of state, on the obverse. The reverse depicts a native wood carving called the nguzu nguzu. The figurehead was attached to a canoe's prow and was thought to give supernatural protection. The nguzu nguzu on the 1 dollar is typical, depicting a figure with a large head, small arms and circular ear ornaments. You can get more information and see an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art here.
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