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Papua New Guinea Gold

1975 Papua New Guinea Proof 100 Kina

.900 Gold
The first European contact in 1526-27 was by the Portuguese explorer Jorge de Meneses, who named the island Ilhas dos Papuas (Island of the Fuzzy Hairs). The Spaniard Inigo Ortiz de Retes later called it New Guinea because he thought the people similar to those of Guinea in Africa. Further exploration followed, including landings by Bougainville, Cook, Stanley and John Moresby.
New Guinea was left alone for several centuries, with only the Dutch making any effort to assert European authority over the island. But in 1824, the Dutch (seeking to shore up their profitable Dutch East Indies empire) formalised their claims to sovereignty over the western portion of the island. Germany followed, taking possession of the northern part of the territory in 1884. At the same time Great Britain declared a protectorate over the southern region with outright annexation occurring four years later.
In 1906, British New Guinea became Papua, and administration of the region was taken over by newly independent Australia. With the outbreak of WWI, Australian troops promptly secured the German headquarters at Rabaul, subsequently taking control of German New Guinea.
In 1920, the League of Nations officially handed it over to Australia as a mandated territory. After World War II, the eastern half of New Guinea reverted to Australia and became the Territory of Papua & New Guinea. PNG was granted self-government in 1973, and full independence was achieved in 1975.


Mintage
18,000

The obverse features depicts partially facing portrait of Michael Somare, PNG's first Prime Minister surrounded above with the inscription: PAPUA NEW GUINEA with the date 1975 appearing below
The reverse has the Papuan national symbol of the bird of paradise shown in flight, with the Southern Cross and the denomination K100.

Specifications

Sources
Composition: .900 Gold
Gold Content: 0.2769 oz
Edge: Reeded
Weight: 9.57 grams
Size: 28.4 mm
Finish: Proof
Chard Tax Free Gold

Worldwide Numismatics Website

Gold Coins of the World
From 600AD to Present
Robert Frieburg, Arthur and Ira S. Friedburg
1980
The Coin and Currency Institute, Inc.
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