Cook Islands issues Proof Mount Everest anniversary coins

By Jeff Starck , Coin World

Published: Jun 11, 2023, 11 AM

The Cook Islands marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest with two silver coins, including the 2-ounce $10 version shown here.

Images courtesy of CIT.

On May 29, 1953, two men became the first to summit Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain.

The Cook Islands and CIT together are marking the milestone with two Proof 2023 .999 fine silver coins, a 2-ounce $10 coin and a 1-kilogram $100 coin.

Text indicating the achievement of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay appears in small print around the obverse rim of the coins:

“On 29 May 1953, New Zealand-born Hillary and his Nepalese mountaineering partner Tenzing Norgay, became the first humans to stand on the summit of Everest. As members of the 1953 British Mount Everest Expedition, their triumph was the glorious result of a long, complex and brilliantly co-ordinated campaign.”

The obverse of the coins features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, who was ruler when the historic ascent was made, in a coin-like inset encircled by the denomination, date and issuing authority.

The larger design of the obverses features Hillary and Norgay in full gear, ascending Mount Everest, which rises in front of them.

The reverse of the coins depicts Mount Everest from a bird’s eye view, its peaks in textured high relief and with color application. A broken line marks the men’s route. At the top, they climb through the legend MT. EVEREST 1953 FIRST ASCENT.