Cook Islands – 2009 – 1 Dollar – 7 Mystical Creatures PHOENIX (PROOF)

Description

Diameter : 40.0 mm

Weight : 27.0 g

Composition : Cu silver plated with padprinting

Mintage : 5 000

A phoenix is a mythical bird with a tail of beautiful gold and red plumage. It
has a 500 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of
cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are
reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises,
reborn anew to live again. The bird was also said to regenerate when hurt or
wounded by a foe, thus being almost immortal and invincible ? it is also said
that it can heal a person with a tear from its eyes and make them temporarily
immune to death. The phoenix is a symbol of fire and divinity.