One of the new series to debut in 2016 from the New Zealand Mint has been Kings of the Continents, one I guess you could say was taking over from the well liked Endangered Animals series of clean struck coins that has just finished. Descrbed by the mint as portraying “some of the most dominant and revered animals on each continent.”, these coins differ from the Endangered Animals series by being selectively coloured on the reverse side, more specifically, the animal portrait, which is set against a struck representation of the animals environment.
These two new coins are the second and third to be launched, the African Lion being the first back in February, with the Grey Wolf, a coin we didn’t cover at the time, launching in March. The third coin that’s just been released is the King Cobra. As we said with the Lion coin, there are no shocks or gimmicks with these, being almost the default format for this kind of coin and they’re nice, clean designs, if a little unambitious. A popular style of coin, so no doubt the NZ Mint know their market, and animal predators are always popular.
Coming in at $80.00 USD per coin, each has a mintage of 5,000 units, and some good packaging. All are available now.
GREY WOLF
Once prevalent over most of Europe, Asia and North America, the habitat of the grey wolf has been diminished because of widespread human encroachment of its habitat. The global population is today estimated at approximately 400,000 animals. Europe, excluding Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, has an estimated population of 12,000 wolves across 28+ countries. Once widespread in Europe, wolves were dramatically reduced in number throughout the early nineteenth century, due to intense hunting. The recovery of European wolf populations only began after the 1950s, when traditional pastoral lifestyles were replaced by farming, removing the need to heavily persecute wolves. Today the grey wolf is protected in parts of Europe and is recovering in population overall.
Being carnivores, they hunt deer, moose and caribou as well as smaller mammals such as hares and squirrels. The positive ripple effects of wolves on keeping the eco system in balance is only recently started to be understood and fully appreciated. Wolves have strong social bonds and typically mate for life. They live and hunt in packs of 7 to 8 animals on average, consisting of the alpha mother and alpha father wolves, their pups and older offspring. In the wild, they usually live up to 13 years old and in captivity, they live upwards of 15 years.
KING COBRA
King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), named after the 11 scales on its head (instead of after its’ 11 large scales on his head ) resembling a King’s crown, is the longest venomous snake on the planet and can grow up to 7.3m (24 feet) long. This awe-inspiring snake is found in Asia; India, southeastern China, the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, and the Philippine Islands. Being great climbers and excellent swimmers, their preferred spots are ponds and streams in rain forests.
Fast moving and with amazing agility, the King Cobra hunts and eats small mammals, lizards and birds as well as other snakes.
The only snake in the world to make a nest for its eggs, the female King Cobra makes an intricate nest of leaves, and remains in the nest until the young hatch. New-born snakes leave their nests as soon as they have hatched.
The King Cobra has two deadly fangs in the front of his mouth, used to inject venom into its prey. The venom is mostly comprised of neurotoxins, which attack the central nervous system. Only one fatal bite by the King Cobra is enough to cause paralysis or coma, leading to respiratory failure and death.
MINTS DESCRIPTION
The Grey Wolf 1 oz Silver Coin marks the second release in the new Kings of the Continents coin collection, which portrays some of the most dominant and revered animals on each continent. The 1 oz Fine Silver Coins in this collection are of a stunning contemporary-style design, combining colour with engraving.
The Grey Wolf (Canis Lupis) live and hunt in packs of 7-8 animals on average, consisting of the alpha father and alpha mother wolves, their pups and older offspring. This impactful 1 oz coin shows a coloured image of a Grey Wolf snarling expressively against an engraved backdrop of a pine forest.
The coin is encased in an elegant themed box which slides open to reveal the coin nestled in a black velvet interior. The uniquely numbered certificate of authenticity sits within the packaging.
The King Cobra 1 oz Silver Coin marks the third release in the popular Kings of the Continents Coin Collection, which portrays some of the most dominant and revered animals on each continent. The 1 oz Fine Silver Coins in this collection are of a stunning contemporary-style design, combining colour with engraving.
The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is named after the 11 large scales on its head, resembling a King’s crown and can grow up to 7.3m (24 feet) long. This awe-inspiring snake is found in Asia; India, southeastern China, the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, and the Philippine Islands. This high impact 1 oz coin shows venomous King Cobra rearing up to strike its prey against a remote wilderness backdrop.
The coin is encased in an elegant themed box which slides open to reveal the coin nestled in a black velvet interior. The uniquely numbered certificate of authenticity sits within the packaging.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Leave A Comment