A distinctive mountain that soars above the Yosemite Valley, the Half Dome originally bore the native American name Tis-a-ack or “cleft rock.” Ranking among America’s most iconic mountains due to its unique shape, It was a famous objective for mountaineers through much of the 19th century, with the first known explorer to reach the summit being George Anderson in 1875. Anderson innovated the method of drilling holes into the smooth granite to make the final part of the ascent possible, and those same holes eventually came to house the cables for a popular public route up the mountain. The iconic stature of this mountain and the feats of invention it has inspired is celebrated with the 2023 1/2 Gram Proof Cook Islands Gold Half Dome Coin, now available from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
- Ships in an original mint capsule with a Certificate of Authenticity!
- Issued in 2023!
- Limited mintage of just 5,000 coins!
- Contains 1/2 Gram of .9999 pure gold
- Face value of $5 (NZD) as legal tender of the Cook Islands
- Obverse side features an effigy of the late monarch Queen Elizabeth II
- Reverse side shows the distinctive profile of the Half Dome
The Half Dome was called “perfectly inaccessible” by experts right up to the first successful summit in 1875. The author of that feat, George Anderson, had made numerous prior attempts before he finally hit on the idea of drilling holes in the smooth granite face and affixing eye bolts to the surface. Subsequently, he would add rope to those bolts to make it possible for others to follow his route, such as the debutante Sarah Louise Dutcher who became the first woman to summit the peak in 1876. Today the iconic peak can be ascended in several different ways and attracts thousands of hikers every year.
The 2023 1/2 Gram Proof Cook Islands Gold Half Dome Coin shows the Half Dome in a stylized rendition against a proof-quality mirrored background. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity in an original mint capsule featuring photorealistic artwork of the peak.
The coin’s obverse side features the late Elizabeth II in a well-known effigy that confirms it as legal tender of the Cook Islands. She is surrounded by the inscriptions “Elizabeth II,” “5 Dollars,” “Cook Islands” and “2023.”
The reverse side shows a stylized profile of Half Dome that evokes its unique shape and the sheer, forbidding granite face that took mountaineers so many years to conquer. It’s accompanied by the inscription “HALF DOME,” along with a pickaxe and the small inscription “2.893 m,” the height of Half Dome’s peak.
Contact JM Bullion today to learn more when buying gold. Phone us at 800-276-6508, talk to an agent at our convenient online live chat, or send us an inquiry by e-mail.