Obverse: the obverse of the coin features a right-facing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Surrounding the portrait are the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”, “COOK ISLANDS”, and the denomination “2 DOLLARS”. The design was created by engraver Ian Rank-Broadley.
Reverse: the reverse depicts a scene from the California Gold Rush of 1848–1854. It features gold prospectors alongside a map of California and neighboring states. The inscription “CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH 1848-1854” appears above, while the year “2015” is shown below.
About the coin: this Cook Islands silver coin-bar is part of the “Milestones of Global Trade” series. The coin is struck from .999 fine silver and features a rectangular shape resembling an investment silver bar. The California Gold Rush theme symbolizes one of the most important economic and migration periods in United States history, when thousands of people traveled to California in search of gold and fortune.
