Liechtenstein’s Coin Invest Trust recently issued the world’s first legal-tender silver banknotes—the Skyline Dollars.
Not made of paper nor polymer, these precious metal banknotes were minted for the Cook Islands and depict a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that also functions as a certificate of authenticity. The obverse also features the nominal value—$1—as well as technical information, including silver content, weight, mintage, size, and year of issue.
The colourfully designed reverse of each of the series’ five issues depicts the skylines of the world’s great metropolises—Toronto, Ont.; New York City, N.Y.; Sydney, Australia; London, England; and Hong Kong—each completed by the city’s world famous landmarks. The thin and flexible silver notes feature authentic guilloche patterns of each of the cities’ skylines.
The series also includes New York City, N.Y.; Sydney, Australia; London, England; and Hong Kong.
The notes measure 150 mm by 70 mm with a thickness of 0.045 mm—less than half the thickness of an average sheet of paper. Silver dollars ship individually laminated and incorporate a certificate of authenticity. Each note contains five grams of Fine silver.
The notes were manufactured by the Munich-based mint B. H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt.