The American Numismatic Association will be holding their showpiece event, the World’s Fair of Money, in Denver for 2017. Taking place between the 1-5 August at the Colorado Convention Center, they’re billing it as showcasing more than $1 billion of “historic rare coins and colorful currency including $100,000 bills and a nickel worth $3 million”.

While not quite an event to rival the World Money Fair in Berlin, it has grown in importance with many of the top modern coin producers now saving their best products for release there. Two of the most highly regarded are Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and Numiscolelct and both are releasing impressive lineups to coincide with the show.

Over the coming weeks we’ll get more details and images of the best of them, but we’ve taken a little look below at what’s coming up and thrown in the Perth Mint’s August run for good measure. Feel free to comment below.

COIN INVEST TRUST (CIT)

In a rare move, this hugely regarded Liechtenstein-based coin producer has let slip some hints on what is being debutedat one of the biggest coin events in the world. With the February Berlin World Money Fair being the traditional debut point for Tiffany Art and the Mongolian Wildlife Protection series, this American show never recieved the same amount of attention. That changed a couple of years ago when CIT used the event to debut some brilliant new series and those continue to show their face at the ANA.

Most eagerly awaitened will be the new Evolution of Life coin, the third in this quite superb series. Following on from the 2015 Ammonite and 2016 Trilobite issues, the hint this time is that it’s moving forward in time to the Age of Reptiles. Depicting a fossil in-situ, picked out in rose gold against an antiqued background, our guess this time would be a tooth of some sort, perhaps an Ichthyosaur or a pliosaur from the marine environment, or a theropod from the land. An Ichthyosaur eye fossil (the area surrounding them was boney) would look fantastic. Whatever it is, this is the one we’re looking forward to the most.

Debuting the same year as Evolution of Life, Magnificent Life is an attractive series showcasing modern creatures. The first two coins depicted the Peacock and the Wasp Spider, so the range of subjects is spread nice and wide. The hint this time is that the animal doesn’t have any legs, so perhaps a snake would be our bet, although a fish would be an obvious second choice. We know it certainly won’t be a millipede…

The impressive 5oz mountain series called ‘7 Summits’, named after a group of peaks that represent the highest points on each continent, will get its second coin after Denali last year. These coins use SmartMinting to great effect, coming to life with all the extra metal available to work with. The six peaks not yet featured are Mount Everest, Mount Aconcagua, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, the Carstenz Pyramid, and Mount Vinson. We’ve no idea which will be first as with only one coin out to date there’s no visible pattern to discern as yet. The first two of those would be particularly impressive as they each have a huge prominence (rapid change in height), something sure to stretch the capabilities of BH Mayer & CIT’s groundbreaking minting technique.

The very cool Skull No.1 coin is getting a sequel we believe. Very little news on where these will go. They could head towards the animal kingdom, or start to depict cultural skulls (a common motif in many ancient civilisations), or my personal favourite, to take the human lineage back in time. I’d love to see an Australopithecus or a Neanderthal skull in this form. We shall have to wait and see.

The long-running Marine Life Protection series is coming to an end and after 25 years it deserves a good send off. A two-coin set, each weighing four ounces and displayed in a custom frame. Silver only for the finale, this could be a sleeper hit. The constantly changing design of the Palau emblem on the obverse has been a treat with these as it’s something so rarely encountered (I’m talking about you Elizabeth…)

Finally, the attractive three-coin Scarab set is getting a sequel with all new surface finished. CIT are particularly pleased with this set and are right to be so. Inexplicably, we forgot to cover this one, but as it’s only just started shipping, we’ll rectify that shortly.

NUMISCOLLECT

Along with CIT, one of the best of the more prolific coin producers is Dutch company Numiscollect. Working in conjunction with CIT, their coins use all the latest techniques and have some fascinating and unusual subjects and designs.

First out of the block is a new gods series. We know there are lots of these on the market at the moment, but they’re popular and of a uniformly high quality. We have noted in the past that the incredible cultures of Central and South America have been largely absent from this latest trend, but we’re happy to report that’s about to change. Struck in three ounces of fine silver, the God Quetzalcoatl looks a terrific design. Antique finished and using SmartMinting, it doesn’t stray far from the norm with its format, but the design is striking and refreshingly different, as the culture of the Aztecs and Mayans was. Only 333 are being struck and we can’t wait to see this one. in more detail.

The third of the high-relief animal coins will depict the Snow Leopard. The first coin featured the Narwhal, but the series came alive last year with a gorgeous elephant design, one of the best we’ve seen on a coin. We’ve only seen art for the 2017 coin and it will be harder to pull off a cat than an elephant, but this has the makings of a fine smartminted coin.

A new silver, black-proof animal series called Night Animals will debut as well. The animal is coloured, the coin smartminted and the mintage set at just 499 pieces. Featuring a Red Panda, this one will have a new colouring technique employed on it. Despite weighing just an ounce, it will be a huge 55 mm in diameter, usually the preserve of 3 oz coins. Again, this looks to be an attractive coin.

A coloured, one ounce silver coin series called Fantastic Fantasy will debut with The Elves as its subject matter. Despite being a relatively standard format (1oz, 38.6 mm), just 499 of these are being struck. This could shape up to be a cool fantasy competitor to the NZ Mints super Warriors of History collection.

New additions to the Bible Stories series (the 13th, Daniel in the Lions Den), and the Sacred Art series (the 11th, Notre Dame cathedral) will keep fans of those happy. A third Famous Diamonds coin will depict the Dresden Green Diamond for those that like a bit of bling.

Last, although certainly not least, is the next in Numiscollects Meteorites series. Big (65 mm), chunky (3 oz) silver coins with a detailed colour glass inlay in the centre and an embedded meteorite fragment, the first coin was excellent. That one depicted the Moon, this one will be Mars. Again, only 333 will be struck.

PERTH MINT

Not actually released for the ANA show, the Perth mint’s August run comes out at the same time so is worth a look. To get the usual stuff out of the way first, premium versions of the bullion designs are limited to a one-ounce, high-relief gold Kangaroo coin, and a pair of Koala coins – a 5 oz gold proof and a 1 oz silver high-relief. The Perth Mint does dozens of these every year and they have their fans, so why not?

There’s a new Star Trek coin, this time celebrating 30 years of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s a one-ounce coloured coin of the type the Perth Mint has been releasing for years now. packaging will be familiar to collectors of previous issues. The third and last Ghostbusters coin will launch. Featuring the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, the coin format is exactly as per the first two issues.

The final coin in the Norse Goddesses trilogy, Hel will wrap up this fourth series of antiqued mythology coins. Again, if you’re familiar with the earlier ones you’ll want to pick this up.

Lastly, a Polar Babies coloured ½ oz coin is out for the kids. Aimed at the gift market, these have attractive artwork but aren’t one for the serious collector.