2023 Cook Islands 2 Oz Historic Instruments Astrolabe High Relief Silver Coin NGC 70 FIRT RELEASES. For as long as humans have walked the earth they have looked to the sky for divine guidance. And for thousands of years, people have used the stars to determine where they are and where they’re going. One of the first instruments to calculate this was the Astrolable, an ancient astronomical instrument that was a handheld model of the universe used for determining latitude on land or calm seas. The Astrolable once again sees the light of day thanks to this intricately designed coin from Germany’s world-renowned Mayer Mint that represents the first release in its Historical Instruments series. FIRST RELEASE IN HISTORICAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES – This coin is the first release in the Historical Instruments series. It features an Astrolabe, an ancient astronomical instrument that was a handheld model of the universe used for determining latitude on land or calm seas. The obverse of each coin presents Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by the earth, sun, moon, stars, and a preview of further historical instruments to come in the series. STRUCK IN HIGHLY PURE SILVER – Each Historical Instruments Astrolabe Ultra High Relief Coin was struck in two ounces of highly pure 99.9% fine silver and measures 45 mm in diameter. Typically applied by hand, this means that no two coins are exactly alike.