Kicking off four years ago, the Italian mint IPZS (Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca) launched a couple of series of coins closely linked by a common theme. Called Flora in Art Masterpieces and Fauna in Art Masterpieces, both take the same central theme of nature in classic art, the former botanical and the latter zoological. We covered the 2014 coins last year, but both series have been going since the debut of a pair in 2011 featuring Ancient Roman art. The following years coins were dedicated to the medieval period, 2013 to the Renaissance, and 2014 to the Baroque period.

For 2015, each coin is themed for different styles, one for Neoclassicism and the other for Rococo, but both carry on the central premise of celebrating the use of the natural world in inspiring art. As has always been the case, the larger €50 denominated coin focuses on fauna, while the smaller 6.5g, €20 coin sticks with the flora. The Annalisa Masini fauna coin looks well designed, based closely on the work ‘The Red Cart’ by Giovanni Fatori. The smaller Valerio De Seta penned design is based on the work of coin legend Benedetto Pistrucci, former engraver at the British Royal Mint, and the man that designed possibly the most iconic image in precious metal numismatics, ‘St. George and the Dragon’ from the British Sovereign coin. It’s a more classical looking piece of work.

Both are struck in 90% pure gold and both are priced on a par with other mints like the Monnaie de Paris.

SPECIFICATION

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