The world has always been infested by secret societies, some benevolent, but most leveraging influence to serve vested interests. The Freemasons have been a source of intense speculation for many years, right through to today. Are they the charitable group they purport to be, or are they secretly controlling us through hidden deals and agendas?

Freemasonry can trace its origins to medieval guilds of stonemasons, and is considered the oldest secular fraternal organisation, dating back to the 1300s. There are three types, the most common of which stretches that secular title quite a bit, requiring a book such as the Bible, or the Quran, to be open, and for every member to have a belief in a supreme being of some sort, although discussion of specific beliefs is prohibited. Women are not allowed. The other types have removed many of these limitations, including even women-only lodges. The lodge is the centre of each group, and they remain independent of each other.

It’s all a bit weird, but it certainly captures the imagination of many, and the surrounding iconography, including the infamous association with US banknotes, keeps it an active part of the conspiracy theorists playbook. The United States founding had some considerable influence from the Freemasons, which is why the coin features George Washington, a member since 1752, in full regalia. He’s surrounded by what the mint describes as “signs of order, sacred geometry, and ritual knowledge.”, some of them gilded.

A great design, it certainly evokes the mystery and general nonsense that surrounds the group, and the depiction of George Washington is first-class. The common obverse from the first coin returns, and is one replete with the trappings of these forms of secret societies. An unusual theme for a coin series, I can imagine it being quite a popular one.

The big new series commencing with this launch is called ‘The Aegis’, and is described as exploring virtues that reveal their greatest strength through duality, as when combined. The inspiration is the shield of the Greek gods Zeus and Athena, and it will do so by showing us the wild spirit of nature in harmony with a woman’s energy.

The style employed here will be familiar to collectors of Mint XXI’s coins, with a beautiful naked woman, a wild animal, and a natural floral background. Power and Grace ticks all those boxes, and the artwork evokes that of the Victorian era, with a colouration that has an almost watercolour feel to it in my mind. You could almost imagine it decorating an expensive vase, for example. The leopard is especially well done.

The obverse will likely be a common one, and has a blade and a floral branch crossed under what looks like an Art Deco arch. The whole thing is gilded, which works well on the obverse, but does limit contrast a little on the reverse face. A nice coin in what is a signature look for this producer.

Nature Spirits is a series we’ve consistently praised for its beauty over the last few years, and this fourth release has done nothing to diminish that opinion. They look at the mystical female beings that personify various aspects of the natural world, and we’ve already had the seas, the forests, and the meadowlands on the first three coins.

For this fourth release, we’re in the skies with an air spirit called the Sylphid. These also have their origins in the work of the 16th century Swiss philosopher, Paracelcus, and have been a constant presence in the art world, particularly through the Renaissance, for centuries. They were considered to be invisible, but that would make for a rubbish coin, so Mint XXI have sensibly given it life.

The series style dominates, with a quite beautiful woman’s face gradually merging into an image combining her core traits, her hair, and a full body depiction. In this case, her hair is formed from clouds. Flying though it, on the back of a richly coloured songbird, is a sylph that eschews colour for a clean look. A single colour dominates, in this case an appropriate blue, and there’s an unobtrusive moonstone crystal embedded in it. The common obverse, also having coloured highlights, is back again, as you’d expect. While the Dryad design remains my favourite of the series to date, this is a fine addition to one of the prettiest coin series being produced today.

Bible stories have been a constant source of inspiration in modern numismatics, and whether you’re a believer or not, it’s certainly a rich source of esoteric stories. This series has already featured Noah’s Ark, The Tower of Babel, and the Exodus. The fourth depicts the story of Adam and Eve and does so in the series style of a coloured foreground over a clean background.

The tale of the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden is well known, ending in the ejection from paradise. Eve is shown with the infamous apple in front of the tree, which is inhabited by the the snake that tempted her. A variety of animals surrounds them. It’s a decent design, if a little formally posed. A standout of this series has been a different obverse for each issue, themed for the main subject. It’s a terrific snake and apple design this time.

The traditional Ukrainian Pysanka decorated egg has inspired this series, now on its third outing since the 2024 debut. Pysanka are eggs decorated with traditional patterns using wax. They are then dipped in a dye that covers all the parts of the shell not protected by that wax. Patterns are built up in layers through repetition. It’s a very old tradition, now associated with Easter since the country embraced Christianity, but the tradition is more cultural than religious, enhancing familial and social ties.

This egg-shaped coin showcases that simple, brightly coloured style of art perfectly. This 2027 issue is called Charunok, which is themed around a honeycomb cell, hence the yellow and amber colouration, and the presence of flowers and bees. It’s a very traditional look, and a great example of how cultural art can influence modern coins, rather than slavishly copy them.

It’s a sad day that we have to report the conclusion of a site favourite. Mint XXI’s epic twelve-coin series of Norse historical characters has now completed with the release of Lagertha, the fabled wife of the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok. Her stories were recorded in the 12th century works of the writer Saxo, and like many stories of the Viking Age, are thought to be largely fictional, but having some small basis in reality.

Whatever the truth of it, the coin is amazing, much like this series as a whole, surpassing their earlier ‘Great Greek Mythology’ range in my opinion. A fitting end to a brilliant series. I should genuinely have a full Coin Series Profile of this series up in the next few weeks, so look out for that.

The final coin in this Autumn release is this intricate Tree of Life coin, featuring a pair of interwoven peacocks. This is called the Winter Edition, and the cool blues and purples evoke that season very well. Virtually the whole face of the coin is covered in detailed, flowing patterns, and there are blue crystals embedded in the design that further invoke the winter period.

It’s struck to a proof finish and will no doubt make a nice gift for a loved one. The obverse has some decorative elements which lift it over a standard effigy design.