The annual Carnival of Venice was initially a celebration started from a victory of the Venice Republic against the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven in the year 1162. Taking the form of a dance in San Marco Square, it grew in popularity and became a fixture of the calendar. However, Venice fell under the rule of the Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, who banned the use of masks in 1797. The carnival was fully restored in 1979 and remains a highlight of the city, especially the contest for the most beautiful mask.

In 2019, the Mint of Poland issued a high-relief, 2 oz silver coin with gilding, that showcased the festival and one of the striking masks. Now, three years later, they’ve released a second one. The concept here is exactly the same. The background is packed with landmarks and cultural elements, as before, and an extravagant mask dominates the foreground. Again, the mask is decorated with both colour and gilding.

A neat coin for the subject, it’s a shame this wasn’t made a regular series rather than having so many ancient history/mythology themed coins. The packaging consists of a latex-skin, floating frame with a custom insert, and the mintage is capped at 500 pieces. The coin is available to order now and should hopefully ship late in December.

LINKS: ANOTHER UNUSUAL VENETIAN MASK COIN