2017-05-02 Tue

One million legal tender circulating commemorative 50-cent coins, struck by Royal Canadian Mint, celebrating its Olympics-winning national rugby sevens team were released by Fiji on 20th April. This Fiji national team won a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The coin was released along with a similar commemorative $7 note. Officials said that the game is loved by everyone in the country and plays an important role to unite each one of them. The original idea was to release coloured coins. There were some technical issues with that idea because there was a possibility that the colours will come off since the coins would be heavily circulated.

The obverse features the year date, nation’s name, the denomination and the Fijian coat of arms. The central imagery is that of Fiji Rugby Sevens Olympic Coach Ben Ryan at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes with the ocean in the background and the inscription BEN RYAN SEVENS HEAD COACH. The reverse depicts the inscription FIJI RUGBY 7S, Fiji team members in their pre-game bonding mode and the text GOLD OLYMPIANS.