Powercoin, one of the most original coin producers working today, has done it again with the debut of a new series called ‘B Different’. If you stand out in a crowd because of appearance or behaviour, or something just does things differently to everything else, it seems to be fair game for this series. You get the feeling the message is ‘it’s cool to be other’.

The first issue is simply called ‘Sheep’, and it plays with that age-old trope, the black sheep of the family. The reverse face is packed with sheep, a whole flock, and yet dead centre, staring out at the observer, is a solitary black animal. There’s a quiet confidence on the black sheep’s expression, and a vague look on the others. It’s a simple design, but a very effective one, and personally, I love it!

The obverse, likely a common one to the series, features a string of lightbulbs, culminating in a ‘lit’ one in the centre, maybe a nod to the ‘lightbulb moment’ when an idea springs to mind. Weirdly, the power doesn’t seem to be on. The placing of the Public Seal of Niue in that biggest bulb is a neat touch. The coin comes in a latex-skin frame with a custom insert, and has a mintage capped at 499 units. A very cool debut, and a series to watch for those that like something a little off-centre.