After failing to cheat Death at chess, Powercoin tries a game of poker, with their second ‘You Can’t Cheat Death’ coin

The battle with Death for the right to life has left the chessboard and headed to the gaming table for a deadly hand of poker. Last February, Powercoin launched a new series of three-ounce silver coins called ‘You Can’t Cheat Death’. The first coin drew heavily from the classic 1957 Ingmar Bergman movie, ‘The Seventh Seal’, and had a man battling a skeletal, hooded Death over a chessboard.

The games continue on this second coin, with the reverse face featuring a man betting his soul on what looks like a winning hand – a Royal Flush. However, a closer look at the ace sees it warping into a skull, but the better clearly hasn’t noticed. Turn over the coin and you can see the result. The Grim Reaper now has the ace of hearts in its hand, thus winning the game, and taking possession of the soul.

The man’s anger is on display, his pounding fist sending the coins flying, and his other hand throwing the cards at Death. One of the coins has the coat-of-arms of Palau upon it, fulfilling the function of showing us the nation of issue – Palau. It’s all quite dramatic, and coin artist, Chiara Principe, has done a great job encapsulating it in two small canvases.

The coin employs high-relief, and CIT’s excellent smartminting technology to keep things defined, and the whole thing, excepting a few elements, is Obsidian Black coated. Even that varies, with some parts sporting a highly polished finish, some matt, and some glossy. The coin will come boxed, with a Certificate of Authenticity, and has a mintage of 499 pieces. This neat coin is available to pre-order from today, and will ship in late June.

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION $20 Palau
COMPOSITION 93.3 g of 0.999 silver
DIMENSIONS 55.0 mm
FINISH Obsidian Black Proof
MODIFICATIONS High-relief, colour, multi finish
MINTAGE 499