It seems that Odin is going to be the star of coins for a while to come as Gainesville throw their hat into the ring with the first of a four-coin series of Norse gods. Like it’s contemporaries, it sticks firmly with the high-relief, antique silver format, but brings enough twists of its own to make it a great piece in its own right. Struck in 2 oz’s of 0.999 silver, the first thing of note is the strong contemporary design by noted numismatic designer, Heidi Wastweet, the artist responsible for, amongst others, the beautiful Freedom Girl and the Latin Collection. A highly attractive piece of work, especially the obverse that often depicts just the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, the coin is unusual in being struck in high relief on both sides. The reverse depicts Odin with his two wolves and two ravens, a common theme for this character.

The coin, like a few others of this new generation of high-relief coins, is struck by the Helvetic Mint, a mint equally noted for its own ultra high-relief coins, particularly the Swiss Wildlife series and the new Numisnautic ship design. Sold exclusively by Gainesville Coins, an American coin dealer, it’s limited to a very tight mintage of just 750 pieces, and the series will have four entrants in total, a comment on the Gainesville page suggesting that Thor and Loki will be two of the other three designs.

With a mintage that restricted, a design that good, and a small series to boot, this one should be a firm success. Packaged in a wooden box and with a certificate of authenticity included, the only negative we could think of is that we don’t know the price yet. A great coin, almost up there with the Choice Mint’s Odin coin. You can express interest on the Gainesville page from the blue button link at bottom.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

In many Nordic and Germanic traditions, Odin is the steward of the underworld, Valhalla, and is often accompanied by his two ravens and a pair of wolves. He is a central figure throughout Norse mythology. Even the day of the week “Wednesday” is his namesake in several languages, from Woden in Old English and Wodan in Old German.

Powerful, wise, and venerated, Odin is now featured on the first of the limited-mintage 4-coin Norse Gods series. Each legal tender coin is struck from .999 fine silver. Subsequent issues in the series will include other prominent deities from the Norse tradition, such as Thor and Loki.

Not only does the 2015 Niue $5 Odin – Norse Gods series 2 oz silver coin exhibit a beautiful antique finish, but it also is a legal tender coin with Ultra High Relief on both the obverse and reverse designs! The striking effect of the dramatic relief is combined with the antique finish to give the coin an atmosphere of antiquity while still taking advantage of the most modern minting technology.

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SPECIFICATION