These 5 cents of 1992 really did circulate, and they show what Cook Islands small change looked like before the 2015 reform: a hibiscus flower and the denomination on the reverse, and Raphael Maklouf’s crowned Elizabeth II with the initials RDM on the obverse.

The hibiscus stayed on the 5-cent coin from the first series of 1972 until the end of the old system. The new 2015 series, struck by the Royal Australian Mint, had no 5-cent piece, and from 30 April 2016 all earlier coins ceased to be legal tender.

F-VF grade: wear is noticeable and even, the high points of the design are smoothed, but the flower, the portrait and the legends remain clear. A coin like this tells the honest story of a circulating piece and fills the 1992 slot in a Cook Islands date run without paying for mint lustre.

If you are just starting a collection, the VPcoins catalogue makes it easy to find coins to build it around.