It was late in 2023 that T&S Coins released their Ancient Egyptian themed coin, Amenhotep & Nefertiti, showcasing the love between two figures who tried to change the religion of the whole civilisation, from the worship of a whole pantheon of gods, to a monotheistic one, based around Aten, the Sun Disc. He failed, and upon his death, the Egyptian priest class reinstated the old gods under his son, Tutankhamun, his legacy forgotten.

That coin was produced in the signature T&S style, struck in two ounces of silver to a high-relief, in an antique finish, and with selective gilding. Barring a solitary one-ounce release, this has been their style. Kicking off 2025, however, we get a major change with the issue of their first gold proof coins, perhaps setting a future trend for the company.

The design is based on the 2023 issue, but is in no way a slavish copy, being clearly changed and optimised for the new format. The one-ounce variant is the one sporting the most expansive vista, and closest in overall look to the silver coin. However, the quarter-ounce, and one-tenth ounce versions take a closer view of the scene, progressively ‘zooming-in’ on the couple. Again, it’s more sophisticated than that, and each has been clearly tweaked for the smaller diameters. Take the fern leaves between the couple’s heads, for example, where there are three on the biggest coin, running through 2, and down to one on the smallest. The essence of the design remains uncompromised. We were complimentary when the NZ Mint used a similar technique some years ago for a limited number of its Star Wars Classics range, and it works even better here.

In another break from their usual modus operandi, these coins are issued for Liberia, rather than Niue or Cameroon, and carry that West African state’s national coat-of-arms on the obverse. Packaging looks great, mintages are low, and it’s a great looking design that works perfectly in this format. What’s not to love? Available to order now.