T&S Coin start a journey through the land of Oz with a new coin series, and it’s joined by the goddess Artemis, and a Bushido Samurai

It seems that T&S Coin have been busy lately, with three new releases, two of them the launch coin in new series. We’re great admirers of the work put out by this producer, who have developed a style of their own, covering a wide range of themes, something you can see demonstrated below. All three stick with their signature format, that of a two-ounce silver coin, with high-relief, an antique finish, and selective gilding. It’s a popular format for a reason, striking a fine balance between enough metal to strike fine designs with elevated levels of relief, and affordability.

A great case in point is this first release. The focus here is the winged monkey, which had a minor, no-speaking role in the film, but were an important part of the novel. Jungle monkeys with large feathered wings, they were described as playful, intelligent, and speaking English. In the book, they started out under the control of the Wicked Witch of the West, but switched sides, carrying Dorothy to two distant places during her quest.

The monkey is depicted hovering, wearing a gilded breastplate, and with gilded wings outstretched. It hovers over a mass of poppies, a flower prominent in the books, growing in huge impassable fields, and fatal in large numbers. I’m not overly familiar with the books, so the meaning of the background detail will be better known to those that are, but it certainly makes for a packed and attractive setting. There are inset green crystals, and more gilding to other elements of the design.

The obverse is quite a departure for T&S Coin. They have a common obverse of their own, easily the best on the market at present, and that’s utilised on virtually every coin they release. However, this one has a unique design, depicting an Oz skyline, complete with soaring art-deco style towers, the gates, and the brick road leading up to them. It looks terrific, and we assume this will be employed on future debuts in this series. All together, a unique take on the books, which gives us hope we’ll see more things from the book that weren’t used in the film. There were actually many other Oz works by Baum published over the next 20 years, so who knows where the inspiration will end. An outstanding release for The Wizard of Oz fan in particular.

2024 PASSAGE TO OZ

This producer doesn’t put every issue into series, unlike some others, which we’ve always found quite refreshing, but this new issue marks the debut of one. Called ‘The Warrior’s Path’, it looks to showcase the ethos, rather than specific battles, around legendary warriors. That would explain why this coin is titled ‘Bushido’, rather than the usual Samurai, used by most other releases themed around these legendary Japanese warriors.

We only have renders at present, so the colour is a little vibrant, but the end result is a striking design, full of contrast. The Samurai is just outstanding, being very dynamic and mysterious, ninja-like. The figure is framed in high-relief, a mix of traditional Japanese architecture, and an almost bonsai-style selection of flora. The pond in the foreground, along with the water splash created by the warrior’s movement, is a particularly nice touch.

The central background area is coloured as if by the setting sun, the symbol of Japan, of course. The hilt and blade of the Katana are gilded, and they’ve even included a Hamon, the distinctive pattern in the blade created during forging. The obverse is their common one, no bad thing, We’ll reserve final verdict until we see actual coin images, but this has the makings of a terrific release.

THE WARRIOR’S PATH: 2024 BUSHIDO

Artemis, the Greek goddess of chastity, hunting, wild animals, forests, childbirth, and fertility, was the daughter of the most powerful god, Zeus, usually portrayed with a bow, and followed by a deer. She was an important deity in Greek mythology, inspiring a great temple in Ephesus, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She made the transition to Roman culture, where she was known as Diana.

For the coin, T&S have stuck with the tried and tested formula, having her carrying a gilded bow and quiver, and in a forest setting. The stag is present, as is a gilded moon, which she was also very strongly associated with. The scene is a very specific one from Ancient Greek lore and is described as capturing “the legendary story of Actaeon. Actaeon, a skilled hunter trained by the centaur Chiron, accidentally stumbled upon a secluded place where Artemis and her nymphs were bathing in a hidden stream. When the goddess saw that Actaeon was watching her naked, she became enraged and placed a terrible curse upon him. Transforming him into a deer, she ensured that his own hunting dogs would not recognize their master.”

The depiction of Artemis on the coin is beautiful, down to the flowing robes, and the exquisite waistband decorated with a certified diamond, two smaller examples of which also embellish the intricate bow she wields. We’re always torn about the use of crystals on coins, but they’re employed to great effect here, and the fact they’re genuine gemstones is a nice touch. The surrounding scene is replete with high-relief detail, creating a very pretty coin overall. The obverse is this producer’s standard design, which is fine given how beautiful it is. The central space holds the national shield of Cameroon, under whose auspices the coin is issued. It comes boxed with a COA, of course. Can’t wait to see this one in the flesh.

2024 ARTEMIS

ISSUE DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSION FINISH MINTAGE
PASSAGE TO OZ $5 NZD (Niue) 62.2 g of 0.999 silver 45.0 mm Antique, Gilding, Colour 500
BUSHIDO $5 NZD (Niue) 62.2 g of 0.999 silver 45.0 mm Antique, Gilding, Colour 500
ARTEMIS 2,000 Francs CFA (Cameroon) 62.2 g of 0.999 silver 45.0 mm Antique, Gilding 500