Released at last years Berlin World Money Fair, the Mint of Poland showed an extremely unusual coin celebrating the Canonisation of Pope John Paul II. Described by the mint as being ‘Cuboid’ the coin was essentially a flat piece of silver that had been bent into an almost exploded open cube shape. Along with the smaller 3oz version of the beautiful ‘Fortuna Redux’ cylindrical coin, and the pyramid-shaped ‘Pyramids of Egypt’ coin, it was one of a triumvirate of new Mint of Poland releases that pushed the envelope in early 2014.

This new coin is a little more conventionally unconventional, in that it’s basically a flattened out version of the cuboid coin from a year ago. Conveniently given the Catholic theme, the cube has taken on the shape of the cross.

The obverse and reverse side strikes are fundamentally the same as its three dimensional predecessor, but this time around the lovely antique finish gives way to a gilded one which is then expertly displayed in a wooden frame to full effect.

The big kicker for this hefty 6½oz lump of silver is the mintage. Just 115 pieces will be struck making this one of the rarer coins to hit the market this year. Personally, I find it impressive that the Mint of Poland continues to develop and strike such unusual coins in such tiny numbers given it’s hard to believe they’ll make a fortune selling them, although as I haven’t seen the price yet, I might be wrong…

A finished coin was shown in Berlin six weeks ago and as a result, this one should be hitting dealers anytime now.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The Servant of God Karol Wojtyła is the saint closest and dearest to the hearts of contemporary Poles. Together with Polish people, John Paul II suffered the hardship of German occupation. Subsequently, hand in hand with his compatriots, he shouldered the heavy burden of Communism.

When on 2nd April 2005 the Vatican sources announced the death of the Pope John Paul II, the followers of the Catholic Church became immersed in deep mourning. Our unique gold-plated silver coin in the shape of a cross, issued on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the death of the Holy Father, reflects the spiritual attachment of the Catholic community to Saint John Paul the Great. Let it be a token of our gratitude for his longtime pontificate!

OBVERSE: In the central part of the coin – effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in a decorative circle. Around it – inscriptions: ELIZABETH II, face value: 25 DOLLARS, issuer: NIUE ISLAND. Below – hallmark: Ag 999, mint mark: m/w. The center of the coin is surrounded by 4 square bars depicting 4 Evangelists: Mark, John, Luke and Matthew. Each piece bears an inscription: SANCTUS MARCUS, SANCTUS IOANNES, SANCTUS LUCAS and SANCTUS MATTHEUS, respectively. All bars are marked with Greek letters: A, Ω. The last piece with a decorative ring forms the longer limb of the cross. It bears the inscription derived from the Bible and cited by the pope in his poem “Roman Triptych”: OMNIA NUDA ET APERTA SUNT ANTE OCULOS EIUS (“All things are naked and open before His eyes”, Hebrews 4:13). There is a small round window in the center of this bar.

REVERSE: In the central part of the coin: portrait of John Paul II with a nimbus. Around it – decorative ring with inscriptions in Polish and Latin: ŚWIĘTY JAN PAWEŁ II/SANCTUS IOANNES PAULUS II. Remaining pieces of the cross are decorated with ornate rosettes. The last bar has a small round window in its center.

THE ORIGINAL 2014 ‘CUBOID’ COIN