2016-12-28 Wed

One of the most popular characters from Star Wars - Princess Leia was played by the brilliant actor Carrie Fisher who breathed her last yesterday, 27th December. Nevertheless, she has been immortalised on a 2016 Niue Silver $2 Star Wars Princess Leia coin. The reverse of the coin features the side profile of Princess Leia bending towards her robot friend R2D2 (“Artoo-Detoo”) making plans to destroy the evil moon-sized destroyer space ship Death Star. The scene belongs to the first film of the series - Star Wars: A New Hope that was released in 1977. The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

Fisher starred in four more original Star Wars films, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: Episode VIII, which was released on 15th December 2017.

Her prominent character gave rise to the pop culture during the late the 1970s and early the 1980s as in those days women were asked to play “traditional” roles in the society. Princess Leia was a dynamic, multi-dimensional character that surpasses gender without losing her classic feminine identity.

Her “cinnamon bun” hairstyle became an instant hit in the first Star Wars film from 1977. A bold 27-year-old Fisher also sported a “metal” bikini costume in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi, which raised a few eyebrows.

The obverse also features Rank-Broadley's initials IRB and other inscriptions like ELIZABETH II, NIUE, TWO DOLLARS and 2016. Other inscriptions on the reverse include 1 oz 999 Fine Silver © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. The edge of the coin is reeded. The mintage limit of the Silver 1 ounce Proof coin is 500.

Other New Zealand Mint Star Wars coins feature other characters from the movie like Darth Vader, Hans Solo, and Yoda.