2018 STAR WARS A NEW HOPE by New Zealand Mint
Popularised by Coin Invest Trust in 2016 with their range of city-based Skyline Dollars, the banknote coin format attracted a few extra members in 2017, most notably with the New Zealand Mint bringing their Disney juggernaut to play. Now it’s time for Star Wars to enter the fray with a series that could do much to expand collecting to a wider audience.
There are fewer licences more likely to attract attention than Star Wars, so it’s a boost to the fledging format when the NZ Mint debuts a new six-note series to tempt collectors. For those unfamiliar with this type of coin, they’re made of silver and are generally 150 x 70 mm in size – the same general size as the banknote they look like. Just a fraction of a millimeter in thickness, despite the huge size compared to a standard coin they weigh a scant five grams.
Obviously with a canvas so large to work with (a standard 1oz coin is around 1200² mm in area, these are 10,500² mm), the artwork can be more adventurous and that’s certainly the case here. Depicting one of six characters in both colour and fine line-art (just like a banknote) on the reverse, the obverse is done in line-art only, detailing everything you’d expect to find on a standard coin.
Each coin is sealed to prevent handling damage and comes in a slipcase. This first coin also comes with an album into which all six A New Hope coins will fit. That’s a great idea and plenty of encouragement for collectors to get a set together. At $39.00 USD per coin, they’re eminently affordable compared to a usual one-ounce coin, and thus more attractive to the casual movie memorabilia collector. That’s a large market and these could well bring in new numismatic collectors.
2018 STAR WARS A NEW HOPE COIN NOTES
MINTS DESCRIPTION
This first striking 5g pure silver coin note in the Star Wars: A New Hope Collection features collaged images of Luke Skywalker™ from the movie along with the movie’s logo and the Rebel Alliance starbird.
A Star Wars Collector’s Album is included with purchase. Inside a protective cover, this hardcover album includes a page for each of the six coin notes in the collection which will include Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo & Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Darth Vader, and R2-D2 & C-3PO. The album is Star Wars themed, with each page designed to complement the corresponding note – including a brief summary of the character’s contribution to the film.
The combination of engraving and colour printing creates an interesting dimension to the note. The unique number in the mintage is also printed on to the note.
The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and is legal tender in Niue.
This single silver coin note is delivered inside a protective sleeve which includes details of the note’s authenticity.
OBVERSE
PACKAGING
Obviously, these are far larger than a coin and capsules aren’t really an option for the ultra-thin coin note format, so the New Zealand Mint decision to provide an album for the series is a fine one. Stiff covered and provided with a slipcase to hold it, the album is fully themed throughout and contains a two-page spread for each issue – one side carrying a description of the coin, the other holding the coin safely and securely.
One important point to note however, the album is completely free with the first coin, but will not be available seperately and will not be provided with any other coin. If you’re going to buy the set, you’ll definitely want to make sure you get the first Luke Skywalker issue.
SPECIFICATION
| NAME | 2018 STAR WARS A NEW HOPE |
| DENOMINATION | $1 New Zealand |
| COMPOSITION | 0.999 silver |
| WEIGHT | 5.0 grams |
| DIAMETER | 150 x 70 mm |
| FINISH | Brilliant uncirculated |
| MODIFICATIONS | Colour |
| MINTAGE | 50,000 each |
| BOX / COA | Album / On coin |
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