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2022 Montmartre Windmills and Allotments (1887) Tokelau G$1 Vincent Masterpieces (COA Name: Windmills by LA Galette)
The obverse of the coin features the beautiful painting known as Montmartre Windmills and Allotments, by Van Gogh. These allotments were a common feature in Montmartre, providing urban dwellers with a chance to reconnect with nature. Van Gogh's inclusion of these allotments further emphasizes the rural and serene aspect of the neighborhood.
The reverse of the coin shows the Effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, along with the inscriptions: "ELIZABETH II" - the name of the Queen, "TOKELAU 2022" – the country and the year of issue and "ONE DOLLAR" – the face value, "1/500 Oz" and "999/1000 FINE GOLD" – the weight and the fineness of the Gold.
Vincent Van Gogh Museum
In Paris, Van Gogh frequently painted the picturesque windmills on the hill of Montmartre. In his day, Montmartre was still a partly rural area with allotment gardens and farms.
Van Gogh hoped that this subject would sell well. He took the fresh, pure colours – the white of the fields and bright blue of the sheds – from contemporary French art. To render sunlight in this landscape, Van Gogh used highly diluted oil paint. This resulted in a translucent, matt effect. He chose a canvas with an unusual, elongated shape. That creates an effect like that of a wide-angle lens. The paths and gardens fan out, drawing our eyes toward the horizon.
Tokelau
Tokelau is a remote group of atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, of which it's a territory. It's usually accessed by boat from Samoa, a trip that can take around 24 hours. Nukunonu atoll contains accommodation and a clear lagoon rich in marine life. Fakaofo has swimming pigs that famously catch fish near its coral reef. ― Google
Capitals: Fakaofo, Atafu, Nukunonu
Official languages: English, Tokelauan, Samoan
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Population: 1,411 (Oct 2011)
Area: 3.861 mi²
Currency: New Zealand Dollar
Assigned to New Zealand: 11 February 1926
Photos taken with Nikon D3300 DSL Camera with attached AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G lens. Adobe Photoshop Elements used to fix any digital artifacts.