Powercoin’s Micromosaic Passion silver coins have a new companion series – Micropuzzle Treasures

Some of the best ideas in coins are more the result of taking simple ideas that are new and unusual, rather than outright gimmickry, as many have done. A good case in point was Powercoins pretty Micromosaic Passion coins, of which there have been three to date, A gloriously simple idea, just strike the coin to look as if the image upon it was formed of mosaic tiles. A clever choice of classic art as the subject, along with a meticulous level of detail resulted in a beautiful idea made real.

Powercoin have now taken the concept and made something a little different with it, although close enough in execution to appeal to the same collectors. Called Micropuzzle Treasures, instead of a mosaic tile pattern, the coin image is broken up like a jigsaw puzzle, complete with multiple pieces not yet in their proper place. There’s no gimmicks here and it’s a clean strike with colour added, but nevertheless, an intriguing idea. The choice of Vincent van Gogh’s classic Starry Night is a good one.

The obverse looks to be a common one for this series and carries the shield emblem of the island nation of Palau at its centre. Surrounding that, set over a puzzle piece background, is the inscribed title. It’s quite a similar layout to the aforementioned Micromosaic Passion design, although themed for this series, of course.

This is a 3oz fine silver coin, rimless and benefiting fully from CIT’s proprietary Smartminting techniques, With the mintage capped at just 499 pieces, this is obviously a higher end issue, but so was Micromosaic Passion, which has enjoyed continued popularity on the aftermarket. The coin will come packaged in a nice box with a Certificate of Authenticity. The serial number will also appear on the edge of the coin. Available to pre-order this week, it will ship in late Q1/2020. A great issue from a producer choosing subjects just that little bit different.

VINCENT VAN GOGH’S ‘STARRY NIGHT’

If any year could be described as a traumatic one for Dutch post impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, it would be 1889. On 23rd December 1888 he had a breakdown in which he undertook the famous self-mutilation of his left ear. Realising the danger, on 08 May 1889 he admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole lunatic asylum.

Painted in early June 1889, Starry Night is his interpretation of the view from his east facing window of his asylum room at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It is depicted just before sunrise, and he has added what he considered to be an idealised village in the foreground.

The painting is a 737 x 921 mm oil on canvas and part of a prolific output from the period, which also included such highly regarded works as the Irises, and the blue self portrait. The Starry Sky work currently resides in New York at the Museum of Modern Art, where it has done so since 1941. It is considered not only one of Van Gogh’s best works, but one of the finest in history.