Isle of Man Gold Cat 1 Ounce 1996

The Burmese cat was chosen to be the face of the 1996 Isle of Man Gold Cat coin. The Burmese was first recognized in Thailand as a Siamese. When the Burmese invaded Thailand, the soldiers took the temple cats back with them to Burma. That breed of cat slowly died out and it wasn't until 1930 in San Francisco that the Burmese breed actually became a breed. There are 2 types of Burmese cats: American and British. The British breed is slender and long, whereas the American breed is shorter and stockier. The Burmese maintain their kitten personalities and they enjoy human activity, such as fetch or tag.

The Isle of Man Gold Cat series was first minted in 1988 by the Pobjoy Mint. The Isle of Man is an island, located in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. It is a fully dependent island, although Great Britain handles their affairs when needed. Becoming an island around 8000 B.C., it has experienced its share of residents. Farmers and fisherman, then the Vikings, and then the English, all tried to make the island theirs until 1866, when the island obtained a nominal measure of Home Rule.

The obverse of the coin features the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, in a famous side portrait by Ian-Rank Broadley. "Isle of Man" and the coin's year of mintage, "1996", are also featured on this side of the coin. The reverse of this gold coin is of a perching Burmese cat. It looks more like a British Burmese with a longer, slender body. The usual cat in the distance and seagulls are also drawn behind the Burmese. The coin's weight of 1 oz is written below the cat. These gold coins have the same remarkable detail but different designs that change annually. If you are looking for a 24 karat diverse gold coin collection, your search can end here!

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• Year: 1996
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