We’re starting out with a surprise new release from Germania Mint, and it’s a first collaborative effort with the Croatian National Bank. This region of the world has a particularly rich, and indeed tumultuous, history, and is a rich vein to be mined for numismatic inspiration.

The Trsat Dragons are a pair of bronze basilisks, creatures with a roosters head, the body of a dragon and a snake’s tail, that guard the entrance to the mausoleum of the Nugent family in Rijeka, Croatia. They were commissioned in the 19th century by the castle’s new owner, Austrian Marshal and Count Laval Nugent (who was Irish), and created by Viennese sculptor, Anton Dominik Fernkorn. It all emanates from the story of a protective dragon’s fight with a malevolent octopus that’s a core part of the local folklore.

The coin is gorgeous, designed by Natalia Danysz tapping into the original statue’s style. The one on the obverse, looking left, packs plenty of high-relief, and a fine antique finish. On the reverse face, the dragon looks right, and holds a gorgeous gilded shield in true heraldic style, emblazoned with basilisks.

The coin is presented in Germania Mint’s superb acrylic frame, suitably themed, and sitting in an inscribed wooden block. We have similar frames for other coins we’ve been sent by the mint, and they are universally first class. A very impressive release, and we really hope the collaboration continues. The combination of Germania Mint’s expertise, and Croatia’s rich cultural history, is a potential goldmine for future issues.

PAMP continues its program of Hot Wheels cars with a fourth release, following Twin Mill, Rodger Dodger, and Bone Shaker issues. These are simple enough, just a shaped and coloured coin showcasing one of the classic releases in this iconic range of toys. While simple, they are absolutely bang on theme, and beautifully realised.

This one, Night Shifter, is my favourite to date, choosing a particularly dynamic three-quarter view of this bright red automotive beast. The packaging on this one is a serious upgrade from the blisterpack of the earlier coins. Here, we get a windowed, double drawer, and fully themed box, with the top drawer holding the coin. The lower drawer holds a small sealed pack, inside which is one of four Hot Wheels pins, randomly inserted. A super package for the fan, it will very likely join its predecessors in selling out.

We don’t normally bother with Christmas and other holiday/gift coins, as they’re not really aimed at the coin collectors that hang out here, but we made an exception for Mint XXI’s Cyber-Santa coins, and we’re making an exception for this new release from Mint of MK, because it’s just so unusual.

MK have rapidly built themselves a distinct style with their many releases, and Steampunk Santa definitely fits the bill. On the reverse face is Santa himself, riding a gear-driven mechanical reindeer. A modern cityscape fills the background. Santa is highlighted in his signature bright red, and the reindeer has gold foil antlers.

On the obverse, there’s a coloured Santa boot, again with steampunk additions, and set against a background of bows and gift packages. It’s a high-relief coin, struck in two ounces of silver, and with an antique finish. If you want a higher-end gift coin for the collector, this could well fit the bill.

Hallstatt, in Upper Austria, sits nestled in the mountains beside a crystal clear lake, and is one of Austria’s most popular tourist destinations, even if the local population is becoming less enamoured of the attention. It may have a modern reputation for its picture postcard scenery, but it’s also one of the most important historical sites in Europe, being home to the predominant culture in the region from the 12th, to the 6th century BCE.

One of the reasons for the success, and wealth of this culture was salt, mined in the region, and traded throughout Central Europe, and Western Europe. It enabled a flourishing art scene, with advances in science and technology, and the creation of tombs filled with artifacts, many providing inspiration for the Austrian Mint’s three-coin series, The White Gold of Hallstatt.

This is the second of the three, and depicts the trading of salt. The obverse features a depiction of a mystical beast, taken from a vessel found near the town. The reverse face features a trader, his wares on a cart, again taken from artwork found on bronze vessels from the Iron Age. We really like this one, as it offers a realistic archaeological look at this culture.

It’s a 22 gram sterling silver coin, and comes in one of those neat red boxes the mint uses for most of its issues. However, you can buy a very neat four-piece box shaped like a salt crystal, that will hold all three coins, their certificates, and a book (available separately), although the book is in German. A terrific little series, the first coin, Salt Mining, is still available, and the final coin, Beliefs & Rituals, will be issued on 19 February 2025.

The Royal Dutch Mint has a long history, having been founded in the 16th century, and issuing coins through the height of the Dutch Colonial Empire. As a result, it has a rich vein of beautiful designs to dip into for its modern range. Over the last few years, the RDM has released some beautiful restrikes, especially the iconic, and historically important Ducats.

This time, however, it isn’t a Dutch coin giving inspiration, but an Italian one. The Fiorino d’oro was a gold coin of 3.5 grams, struck by the Republic of Florence from 1252 to 1533, and widely used for commerce. On the obverse is the Fleur-de-lis of Florence, and on the reverse is St. John the Baptist, wearing a sackcloth.

An excellent homage to the original, it was chosen to celebrate 770 years since the birth of the famous traveller, Marco Polo, who likely carried these on his journey to China. There are four variants in the range, with 1 oz and 2 oz versions in silver and gold. All have strikingly low mintages, especially in gold, so only the lucky few will get to enjoy those.