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Cook Islands’ “Meteorites: Chicxulub Crater” coin was named the Most Innovative Coin at the 2021 Coin of the Year (COTY) Awards. The coin, which pays homage to the famous Chicxulub crater, features a genuine meteorite insert.

The Chicxulub crater is an impact crater located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Its center is near the town of Chicxulub, after which the crater is named. The crater is the result of a large asteroid or comet, estimated to be approximately 11 to 81 kilometers (6.8 to 50.3 miles) in diameter, striking the Earth.

The date of the impact coincides precisely with the Cretaceous Paleogene boundary (Ka Pg boundary), slightly less than 66 million years ago. It is theorized is that the worldwide climate disruption from the event caused the Cretaceous Paleogene extinction event, a mass extinction in which 75% of plant and animal species on Earth became extinct, including all non-avian dinosaurs.

Struck by NumisCollect for the Cook Islands, the 20 dollar, silver coin has a stunning ultra-high relief in lens shape. It also features an antique finish quality. The obverse of the coin displays a profile of Queen Elizabeth II. The glass insert is visible in the center of the coin.

The reverse depicts the view of the face of Chicxulub and the impact crater with a piece of the meteorite on the bottom of the coin. In the center of the coin, there is a colored image of Chicxulub.

The Chicxulub Crater coin is part of NumisCollect’s Meteorites series. It measures 65 mm in diameter and weighs 3 ounces. Mintage was limited to just 333 coins.