MK’s two-ounce silver Buddha coin returns with almost 12 ounces of copper in tow, and an expanded diameter

Back in March of this year, the Mint of MK launched a two-ounce silver coin depicting the Buddha in meditation. It was designed in the same ilk as the gigantic, copper-zinc-silver hybrid, 1,000 Armed Bodhisattva, which had a 188 mm diameter, and was the first MK coin we ever looked at. Indeed, that design also appeared in two-ounce form recently, as the first in the ‘Buddhist Series, of which Buddha himself is the second issue.

For Buddha, the mint has reverse things. Whereas the giant variant came first with the Bodhisattva coin, here it follows the standard strike. In addition, instead of utilising 480 grams of copper and 835 grams of zinc, this Buddha variant just employs 330 grams of copper to bulk up the two ounces of silver, resulting in an altogether more manageable 80 mm diameter.

Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is depicted seated in the classic Lotus pose, his palm shown to indicate a lack of fear, and an original swastika around his neck, not the bastardised one popularised by a certain Austrian corporal in the early-mid 20th century. In the background is the Bodhi Tree, the sacred fig tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, its roots extending below the seated figure. The Buddha is featured in the Thai style, with the pointed head.

The obverse, like the first issue in this series, has a low-relief background view of the reverse face, but it’s dominated by a copious Chinese text, we believe from the Four Noble Truths, and Noble Eightfold Path. There’s so much of it, it seems particularly impressive it was so readable on the earlier two-ounce, 50 mm diameter coin.

This one is available in a choice of two finishes, just like the earlier releases. One is fully gilded, the other, the superior one in our view, is antique-finished. The mintage of 999, is the total of both finishes, the balance likely determined by the popularity at pre-order time. Available to order now at the usual Mint of MK / The Gold Village dealers.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION 10,000 Francs (Chad)
COMPOSITION 62.2 g of 0.999 silver, 330 g of copper
DIMENSIONS 80.0 mm
FINISH Antique or Gilded
MODIFICATIONS Silver-copper hybrid
MINTAGE 999 (shared)