The latest Chinese Myths and Legends coin from LPM and the Perth Mint, the sixth in the series to date, is an attractive Phoenix design. Carrying a nice flowing design, it continues the Asian style employed by earlier issues. The obverse is the usual Perth Mint one, featuring the Jody Clark effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

The base variant is a cleanly struck one-ounce coin, and it’s joined by a pair of coloured variants. There’s a red/gold version, and one with a wider colour palette, simply called Vivid. The mintage of each of these is set at 5,000 pieces, of which 1,000 will be mounted onto a themed card, which you can see above. This release is an LPM distributor exclusive, but you should be able to pick it up elsewhere as well.

The second issue in Scottsdale Mint’s ‘Mandrill’ series, it offers up a different view of the largest of the monkey family. A rainforest dweller, located in Equatorial Guinea, and in Cameroon, this distinctive creature with its red and blue facial colouration, is a rare sight on coins.

The one-ounce silver coin is capped at a pretty low 10,000 units, while the gold coin, which comes in a box with a Certificate of Authenticity, will only have 100 units struck for sale. Availability of this one should be wide, as most bullion dealers carry Scottsdale Mint product.

A perennial classic in Scottsdale Mint’s range, the Barbados Trident is back again, in one ounce silver and gold forms. The main change in these some years is to the design of the background field. Last year saw a complex radial pattern of geometric lines, whereas the 2022 coin has a considerably more laid back ‘waves’ look to it, which we prefer, to be honest. Not the most exciting issue, even in Scottsdale’s own range, but a timeless design, with a loyal following.

The 13th issue in the New Zealand Mint’s Star Wars bullion range, this is the third in a subset called simply ‘Symbols of Star Wars’, which depicts some of the more iconic logos that have appeared in the more than half-century old franchise. The Rebel Alliance design follows Mandalorian Mythosaur, and Galactic Empire coins, and is available in either one-ounce silver, or one-ounce gold forms.

The series is an APMEXclusive, but should be available from most bullion dealers worldwide. You can see the whole range in our Bullion Series Profile.

Another of the New Zealand Mint’s numerous popular-culture bullion series, this one features the hit comedy adventure series currently in the news for all the wrong reasons, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. The latest coin is the fourth issued to date, and it follows a pretty tight style that looks okay, but has never been one of our favourites, especially when the pirate competition is so high.

Called Queen Anne’s Revenge, it depicts that pirate ship, alongside its most famous captain, the pirate Blackbeard. Both one-ounce versions are sold encapsulated.

Another series hitting its fourth annual release, the very pretty Dolphin bullion range from the Royal Australian Mint is also one available in the classic choice of either a one-ounce silver, or a one-ounce gold variant. Depicting a trio of Dusky Dolphins breaching the surface, with the sun setting in the background, it does a fine job of catching the playful nature of these amazing creatures.

A terrific series, this fourth entrant does nothing to diminish that reputation, in our view. The obverse is the usual effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, dull, but unavoidable, it seems.

An odd series, not particularly aesthetic, but certainly on point for a precious metal coin, Australian Nuggets reproduces some earlier designs from Australia’s numismatic past. In this case, the blob in question is called ‘Little Hero’ and the depiction of it by Aussie legend Stuart Devlin, first appeared on a gold coin back in 1986. Little Hero, uncovered in Marble Bar, Western Australia in 1890, weighed in at a wallet-busting 333 ounces.

Fortunately, the bullion coins are not so back-breaking in size, with the choice of gold or silver in one-ounce weights making up the range, as you would expect given that line-ups popularity in the bullion world. Numbers are higher than may here, and the sedate design make these less attractive as a result.

The Timothy Noad design for the Royal Arms returns for 2022, unchanged from last year’s coin. It’s a classic British coin, packed with heraldry and historical meaning. The radiating ‘sunburst’ lines dominate the background field, and the Royal Arms, the official Coat of Arms of the ruling British monarch,

A four coin range offers something for all tastes, and the mint is to be commended for the selection.

Another series that’s been going for a few years now, this year’s entrant is the fifth to date, in what has also been quite an attractive series. The 2022 issue isn’t hugely different from the 2021, indeed, not as nice in our view, but distinctive enough to warrant attention. The seahorse is an esoteric subject, very unusual in the animal world, and makes for an interesting series. Scottsdale Mint also has a similar series, issued for Samoa, which is equally neat.

Yet again, two variants on offer, both an ounce in weight, one gold, one silver. The obverse carries the Coat of Arms of Barbados. As before, this series remains an APMEX distributed item, but as always, a smattering of bullion dealers around the world should have it.

The first coin release in Intaglio Mint’s formerly undenominated round-only Molon Labe series, it was issued to celebrate four years since the series of rounds debuted. Meaning ‘come and take it’, Molon Labe was said to have been spoken by the legendary Spartan king, Leonidas, and it’s Spartan history that forms the backbone of the series.

A really nice image of a Spartan warrior, against a background battle scene depicted in the style of a wall decoration, we really like this one. The obverse, with its wide border of Spartan shields and spears, frames the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II neatly, almost evoking the famous phalanx walls of the time. Intaglio Mint usually sticks with bullion rounds, but on this evidence, we’re glad they’re issuing coins as well. There are some very cool rounds in the range, so hopefully, some of those will make the jump to the coin world in the future.

Joining Molon Labe, Intaglio Mint has also debuted a Norse-themed coin featuring Freya, the Norse goddess. It’s a design exhibiting much dynamism. Legend has it that Freya rode a chariot pulled by two cats, and that’s what we have here. The art is a little compacted to fit the coin, but that’s certainly a fair compromise, with the finished art looking well integrated into the coin shape.

Again, just a single format, it has much in common with the Spartan coin, with the obverse aping the basic layout, but replacing the shields with Celtic finery. It also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

An all-new issue by the Pobjoy Mint, for the British Virgin Islands, this coin celebrates a century since the opening of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. It’s a classic view of this now hugely iconic statue of the United States of America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln.

A very American piece, it should have appeal in the US, in particular. While the Lincoln Memorial has adorned quite a few numismatics, it’s very unusual to get anything like this in the bullion world. Combined with a mintage of just 5,000 pieces, we’re sure the coin will do well.

Back for a sixth year, the Athenian Owl stackable silver bullion coin from Silvertowne Mint has always been a neat design, but having the gorgeous ancient Greek original for inspiration, you could hardly expect less.

No real changes, just the one-ounce, and unusually, a quarter-ounce silver in the range, but it’s a good looker,