The third of the Mint of Poland’s new ½ oz coloured silver nature coins has been released and it’s another nice design. The mint has always been very capable at this kind of coin, and with their fine SOS Endangered Animal Species coming to an end, it falls on their Fascinating Birds series to be the flagship nature range.

First out of the gate was a coin featuring the Kingfisher, followed by one depicting the Hoopoe. Now it’s the European Bee Eater, another beautiful, colourful bird that fits the theme of the series well. The packaging is a definite improvement over the already excellent presentation of the SOS series and the mint also sells them seperately in two colours and two sizes for your own coins. At 17.5g of fine silver, it’s a classic Mint of Poland coin format which maintains the larger 38.61g diameter of a standard 1 oz coin. All round, a fine addition to the series. Available now for around the €60-70 mark.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

This series brings us a delightful multitude of colors and variety of species of birds soaring above the world. Although occurring in Poland, the Bee-Eater bears the nickname “ordinary” and “common”, it has really nothing to do with mediocrity. The naked eye can see that the representatives of this rare species of birds is a real beauty.

It is no wonder that the fabulously colorful bee-eater is beautifully presented on a silver coin! The effect of photographic quality with exceptional color saturation is achieved using the highest quality of digital printing. As a result, we can admire the heroine coin in all its glory. Specially designed packaging decorated with images of a bee-eater creates a colorful, cohesive whole.

European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) inhabits most open, sunny area of meadows, fields and pastures with varying terrain. These birds nest in deep burrows, located in sand or clay slopes. Bee-eaters are excellent hunters, where there are terrible sting of bees. In Poland during the breeding season in the south of the country nestles up to several dozen pairs of these birds.

OBVERSE: In the central part of the coin – an image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Below -próba silver Ag 999, on the right side – Mint mark: m / w. Along the rim – inscriptions ELIZABETH II NIUE ISLAND (issuer), 1 DOLLAR (denomination), 2015 (year of issue).

REVERSE: In the foreground – multi-colored images of bee-eater (at rest and in flight). Along the rim – the name of the series in English: THE Fascinating World of Birds (The fascinating world of birds). On the right side, along the rim – the name of the coin in Polish and Latin (separated by a decorative gem): European bee-eater / Merops apiaster. In the background – a stylized decorative surface: the leaves and vines.

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SPECIFICATION