THERMOMETER IN COIN

As a tribute to Anders Celsius, the Swedish astronomer who invented the Celsius temperature scale, a Pacific country is now launching a unique coin with an inbuilt thermometer. Issued by Cook Islands, an island nation in the south Pacific ocean, the commemorative coin will be made available through Coin Invest Trust of Liechtenstein, says numismatist Alok K Goyal, the authorised marketer of these coins. Struck in one ounce of sterling (0.925) silver, the coin with a 50 mm in diameter has the face value of five dollars. Inset into the reverse side is a thermometer scaled from 14 to 32 degrees Celsius, with each of the ten discs showing a different number in sequential order. "It is a limited edition coin because only 1744 pieces are being minted for the worldwide market including India," says Goyal who runs coin dealership company A G Impex in Kolkata. The rare coin will be available in the market from mid July 2014. The numismatic said the coin is meant to commemorate the death anniversary of Anders Celsius in 1744. In 1742, Anders Celsius had defined the temperature scale degree-centigrade which was later named after him. He had fixed the boiling point of water at 0 degree and the freezing point at 100 degree.