Island nation to issue Star Wars characters on real currency

People are famously fanatical about Star Wars, but now one government is getting in on the Jedi-loving action too. The Polynesian island nation of Niue will actually adopt coins featuring Star Wars characters as a form of legal tender. The coins (not pictured above) will depict a figure from the films on one side and Queen Elizabeth II on the other. 

The coins would technically be worth $2 of New Zealand's currency (USD $1.66) were they to enter circulation, but they will sell for NZD $469, or about USD $390. Considering the level of collector enthusiasm when it comes to Star Wars memorabilia, even those prices are likely to shoot sky-high when collectors around the world start clamoring for the limited edition collectible. 

Nieu, located in the Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand, is printing the coins until 2014 to bolster its (tiny) economy. The island currently has about 1,400 residents, so this will likely bring the teensy island country more global attention than it's ever generated to date, especially with Star Wars: The Old Republic around the corner. 

[Image credit: Kevin Dooley]

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