Special Forces – Real Heroes
Cook Islands. 20 Dollars. 2022. Silver .999. 3 oz. 50 mm. Black Proof. Mintage: 750 pieces. Special technology: smartminting (Ultra High Relief); partial color application; micro minting. B. H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt, Munich.
Description of the Coin
Special Forces soldier with helmet and mirrored visor in front of a honeycomb pattern, mouth and nose covered with cloth; in the left field REAL / HERO in micro minting, below a stylized guardian angel; on the edge the incuse inscription DE OPPRESSO LIBER (“Free From Oppression”).
The other side features the silhouette of a Special Forces operation: two soldiers secure the territory in the foreground while a helicopter drops off other members of their unit, two more helicopters are approaching from behind; below the incuse inscription ONLY THE BRAVE ARE FREE and the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley (initials IRB); around it ELIZABETH II – 20 DOLLARS – COOK ISLANDS – 2022.
Background of the Special Forces Coin
They are the best of the best: Special Forces soldiers, who are called for operations that do not only require courage and drive but skill, logical reasoning, and many years of training. CIT dedicates the third issue of its successful series “Real Heroes” to all special forces of the free world and, in particular, to those of the United States.
The mere process of becoming a member of a special forces unit is an adventure. In the US, for example, the Green Berets receive several thousand applications every year. Only about 400 of them even get the chance to prove themselves in a tough selection process, and only 3% to 5% get through.
After a long training period, they are finally sent on their first mission. Extensive training is necessary because the main requirement for these men and women is to be level-headed, remain emotionally stable, and be team players in highly stressful situations, so that they can make rational decisions.
Whether it be the German GSG9, the Swiss Argus, or the Austrian Cobra – almost every army has specially trained units today. They are deployed when things get tough and every single soldier needs to think strategically: in terrorist attacks, hostage situations, or the fight against organized crime.
CIT dedicates the third issue of “Real Heroes” to all members of special forces. The Special Forces coin’s most important detail is the legend on the left of the edge. It reads DE OPPRESSO LIBER – the Latin motto of the United States Army Special Forces. According to US tradition, the translation reads “to free from oppression”, and is thus the only legitimate reason to wage a war in a civilized world: to defend freedom against tyrants.
Further Information
www.cit.li/coins/special-forces-real-heroes
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CoinWeek Podcast #155: Ultra-Modern Coins Take Over
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In this episode of the CoinWeek Podcast, we have a lively, interesting, and provocative conversation with Chang Bullock and Orlando Lorenzana of CIT, where we talk about how ultra-modern coins (or postmodern coins, as we call them) have taken over the contemporary coin market and how CIT’s innovations in color and coin minting technology are changing the game for private and sovereign mints.
You cannot walk away from this podcast without learning something about the way minting has changed–and has always been changing throughout the course of monetary history–and we hope it will give you a clearer picture of where we are heading.
