15 January 2019
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Titanium triggerfish coin
The Atlantic-dwelling queen triggerfish features on a new coin issued for the Ascension Islands by Pobjoy Mint.
The coin, the second titanium coin issued by Pobjoy, is available in both purple titanium and uncirculated cupro nickel.
The queen triggerfish
The Queen Triggerfish (Balistes vetula) is a reef-dwelling triggerfish found in the Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic it is found at Ascension, Cape Verde and Azores. The large oval-shaped fished is named due to its unique spines on its anterior dorsal fins which are used to lock the fish into a crevice during the night. The first spine locks and the second spine unlocks, like a trigger, preventing predators from pulling them free or swallowing the fish.
The species is generally shy and will move away from divers if followed. However, during breeding season, they will aggressively defend their nests and they can inflict a nasty bite as they have strong jaws with strong incisor-like specialised teeth which are used to chisel holes into the hard shells of their prey.
Coin design
The coin shows a Queen Triggerfish swimming above a coral reef. The obverse of the coin features the exclusive Pobjoy Mint Effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Issue date: 4 January 2019
Diameter: 36.10mm (purple titanium); 38.60mm (cupro nickel)
Weight: 28.28g
