Pobjoy Mint roundup of new releases includes silver and titanium nature coins.
A quick look at some new releases from British independent producer, the British Pobjoy Mint, and there are continuations of two series and a new anniversary coin in the mix. Pobjoy are multi award winning producers and specialise in issuing coins for some of the more remote and esoteric locations on the planet, such as the South Atlantic, Antarctica, the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Throw the Isle of Man and the Caribbean into the pot and you have a truly global reach.
The first state to enjoy some new releases is a truly cold, bleak and remote location, rarely populated by us hairless apes, South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands. Literally defining the phrase ‘middle of nowhere’, South Georgia is almost 1400 km further into the Atlantic than the Falklands, the South Sandwich Islands a further 700km on top of that. The two new Pobjoy coins are perfectly themed for the islands however. The first is the next in the Marine Life series that has featured plenty of marine mammals over the last few years. Depicting a small pod of Pilot Whales, the coin has a nice layout and remains free of all inscriptions except the denomination.
The second is an anniversary commemoration of one of histories greatest expeditions, Shackletons ill-fated attempt to reach the South Pole by land. Despite being a century ago and in an inhospital location, there are plenty of images documenting the attempt. The coin is a pretty accurate look at Shackletons ship, the Endurance, stuck in ice while a party pulls a sled loaded with supplies. Inscriptions include the expedition name and date, and the denomination.
In addition to the silver pair, Pobjoy have also added to their growing library of titanium coins. This tough metal is rarely used for coins because of its extreme strength in comparison to gold and silver, but Pobjoy have produced multiple coloured issues going back over a decade. This latest one is turquoise in colour and depicts a seahorse, marine life being a recurring theme with this series as well over the last couple of years. There’s also a silver version available.
All the silver coins have the same specification, a standard ounce of sterling silver struck to a proof standard. Each is encapsulated and packaged in a red snapper case and all are available to buy now with quick delivery.
2017 PROOF COINS FOR SOUTH GEORGIA
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, also known as the Endurance Expedition after the expedition ship, is considered by some to be the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
By 1914 both Poles had been reached so Shackleton set his sights on being the first to traverse Antarctica. Shackleton arrived at South Georgia on 5 November 1914. After a month-long stop at Grytviken whaling station the expedition sailed into the Weddell Sea with the aim of crossing the Antarctic continent to the Ross Sea where they would be met by the Ross Sea party aboard the Aurora. Eighteen months later Shackleton returned to South Georgia, albeit in very different circumstances.
The Endurance had been lost in the ice and her 28-man complement had spent months in makeshift camps before they took to the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island. It was from here that Shackleton and five companions made their 1,300 km boat journey aboard the James Caird to King Haakon Bay, South Georgia.
After a short period of recuperation Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley crossed South Georgia on foot to Stromness whaling station where they arrived on 20th May. Shackleton then began his – ultimately successful – efforts to rescue his men on Elephant Island. After four attempts in different vessels, Shackleton was able to rescue the men waiting on Elephant Island who were brought home aboard the Chilean steamer Yelcho without loss of life.
DESIGN: The design on the coin shows the Endurance stuck in the ice in the background with the crew pulling the sled on the ice pack in the foreground. The obverse of each coin features the new effigy design of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exclusively by Pobjoy Mint.
Our popular Marine Life series just got bigger with the release of this new South Georgia and The Sandwich Islands coin featuring the Pilot Whale.
Pilot whales are large, robust animals with a bulbous head and no discernible beak. They are a member of the dolphin family, and are second only to the killer whale in size. These intelligent marine mammals form extremely cohesive social bonds; stranding of several hundred pilot whales are not uncommon, and pod members will often stick close together and protect the matriarch of the group.
The pilot whale received its name due to a belief that the pod always follows a single leader, which although not scientifically proven, is commonly believed to be the reason for these tragic mass strandings. The pilot whale can dive as deep as 500 meters when hunting for food, and has a diet consisting primarily of squid, along with fish, octopus and crustaceans such as shrimp.
Figures for pilot whales are unknown, and even though they are depleted in some areas, pilot whales are not considered to be endangered. There are likely to be almost a million long-finned pilot whales and at least 200,000 short-finned pilot whales worldwide.
DESIGN: The design on the coin shows a Pilot Whale in the foreground in the Antarctic waters with the head of a second whale appearing above the water. The top of a third whale can be seen just above the waterline in the background. The obverse of each coin features the new effigy design of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exclusively by Pobjoy Mint.
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2017 TURQUOISE TITANIUM SEAHORSE
Pobjoy Mint’s coloured Titanium coins continue to be a great success and to maintain the series we are delighted to announce the release of a new 2017 Turquoise Titanium coin on behalf of the British Virgin Islands Government which features the Seahorse.
The Seahorse is one of the most beautiful and elegant of all marine animals. They are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual equine shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young.
This New 2017 coin depicts a beautiful image of an adult and baby seahorse with their tails entwined around leaves, creating a magical and distinctive scene that is sure to be popular with collectors everywhere. The coin has been produced in Turquoise Titanium to mimic the warm seas where it lives and is also available in Cupro Nickel and Proof Sterling Silver.
Due to the difficulty of striking Titanium coins and the fact that Titanium reacts differently with every strike, each seahorse coin is technically different from all others. There is also a lined effect that is present on the coins which is unique to this metal.
DESIGN: shows an underwater scene with a central image of an adult and baby seahorse with their tails entwined around leaves. The obverse of the coin features an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exclusively by Pobjoy Mint.
SPECIFICATION
| COIN | DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | WEIGHT | DIAMETER | FINISH | MINTAGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHACKLETON | £2 SOUTH GEORGIA | 0.925 SILVER | 28.28 g | 38.6 mm | PROOF | 2,000 |
| PILOT WHALE | £2 SOUTH GEORGIA | 0.925 SILVER | 28.28 g | 38.6 mm | PROOF | 10,000 |
| SEAHORSE | $5 BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS | 0.925 SILVER | 28.28 g | 38.6 mm | PROOF | 1,500 |
| SEAHORSE | $5 BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS | TITANIUM | 10.0 g | 36.1 mm | PROOF | 7,500 |
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