Spider moves to Niue gold
Back in 2006, Downies released the first one-ounce silver proof Niuean dollar of a “Deadly & Dangerous Australians Series.” It featured a highly deadly Red-back Spider (Latrodectus hasseltii). Over the…
Back in 2006, Downies released the first one-ounce silver proof Niuean dollar of a “Deadly & Dangerous Australians Series.” It featured a highly deadly Red-back Spider (Latrodectus hasseltii).
Over the next 10 years, the sale value of the coin rose twenty-fold. The original issue price, including tax, was AUD 79.95 [USD 63.07]. In 2016, they retailed for AUD 1,695 [USD 1,336.97].
This same design is now available in gold as a $100 Niuean proof struck on a 40 mm, .9999 fine gold flan. Mintage is just 150 – compared with 5,000 for the original silver dollar.
The current asking price is AUD 2,995 [USD 2,362], leading one to wonder what dealers might be asking for it 10 years from now.
The spider illustrated on the reverse of both coins is female. Only the girls have a prominent red stripe on the upper side of their black body.
This article was originally printed in World Coin News. >> Subscribe today.
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