The latest in Coins Today’s hugely varied stackable bullion range, we have a lunar this time, specifically the 2023 Year of the Rabbit. It’s undenominated, so doesn’t carry a date. Choosing an interesting faceted style, we like the uniqueness of it, and it has the bonus of being easier to make stackable, we’d guess. It employs a mix of mirrored and matt finishes to enhance that faceted look.

The two-ounce weight seems to be the sweet spot for the stackable market, striking a good balance between cost and being able to carry off the design. As always, this has an unlimited mintage, but that doesn’t mean there will be countless numbers of them produced. We’ve lost quite a bit of interest in the lunar market, especially after it began to get ridiculous a few years ago, but releases like this go a long way to rekindling it.

We normally have a full article dedicated to this release every year, but I can’t really explain why, when it just entailed changing the pictures from the year befores article, so here we are. Much better. The Chinese Panda has always been a popular staple of the bullion calendar, and while that seems to have cooled a little as mintages have skyrocketed, and consumer choice has exploded, it remains eagerly anticipated.

The 2023 design is really nice, continuing the trend of following the life of a newborn through to adulthood, of which this is the fifth of ten designs. Last year saw the 40th anniversary of the Panda. The range is expansive, and covers the three major metals, all with the same design. There are quite a few proof versions as well. Unique in having a metric weight system, which, if we’re honest, was a good idea, there’s something for every budget here. A great addition.

Myths and Legends from the Royal Mint debuted with a Robin Hood coin, followed by two other designs from the same legend. Despite the many characters in the Robin Hood legend that haven’t been featured to date, the mint has moved on to the second myth, that of King Arthur. If you’re unfamiliar with the legend, I’d highly recommend the meticulously researched documentary movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, although we think they might have got it wrong with the killer rabbit…

A good design by David Lawrence, although a little rigidly posed, perhaps, it will be the first of three for the Camelot story. There are gold and silver versions, each with an unlimited mintage, and the weight of a swallow (European, not African).

The sixth in the New Zealand Mint’s DC Comics range, Green Lantern continues the practice of being depicted in action, alongside his emblem. They’re quite different in style to the Marvel Comics series by the Perth Mint, which is a nice change. Unlike the Marvel series, however, these are also available in gold, and with a tiny mintage. One for the fans, but they’ll probably be satisfied with these.

Next year sees the 100th anniversary of Howard Carter’s discovery of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb, something that popularised the Ancient Egyptian civilisation so much, that it endures to this day. The most famous artifact unearthed is, without question, the solid gold death mask, and it is this that Pobjoy Mint has chosen to represent the once in a lifetime discovery.

Looks decent, although the official images aren’t great. We’ve had a coin with that Sierra Leone obverse on it, and it was very pretty, so expect this one to look a lot better than what is shown here.

A series that’s been going for some time now, Star Wars bullion is divided into subseries, and this is the fifth issue in one that features the big bad himself, Darth Vader. It isn’t a series with a huge amount of variety, but it’s one the fans seem to like. The latest coin is unusual in using artwork originally developed for a three-ounce proof coin with a coloured face.

It seems to work well with the previous issues, however, and continues the practice of offering both silver and gold, one-ounce variants. Mintages are higher than most in this genre.

A perennial favourite, the Perth Mint continues its third journey through the twelve-coin Lunar Cycle. The next in Lunar Series III is a pair of excellent rabbit designs. This series has seen a change in direction, and a definite uptick in quality over previous cycles, in our view, with much more naturalistic portrayals, and that’s the case again.

The silver has its own, two-rabbit artwork, while the playful gold design depicts a single animal, and is shared with the platinum version. Excellent stuff again. The range is extensive, with six silver, seven gold, and a solitary platinum filling out the choices. The one-ounce versions tend to be the most popular, as, apart from the niche 10 kg silver, they have limited mintages. An impressive selection.

The third in the Panthera Tigris series, issued for Laos, is now available, and it looks to be a good addition to the range. I wasn’t sure at first glance, but a closer look reveals a well drawn design, with good detail, and decent anatomy. It’s our favourite of the series to date, and the small mintages are a nice bonus. Very nice.

We’re said in our last round-up, that we think ‘Icons of Inspiration’ is one of the best bullion coin series in production today, and the fifth entrant, aviation pioneers, The Wright Brothers, has done nothing to diminish that view. Continuing to be designed by coin artist Joel Iskawitz, this one joins Galileo Gallilei, Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein coins.

Another terrific design, with fine portrayals of the brothers, over a background of their work. The attractive common obverse returns, as do the pair of one-ounce formats, the gold coming boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity. An absolutely outstanding series, and a favourite here.

A surprisingly impressive range, The Simpsons has done a fine job of turning this dysfunctional family into decent numismatics. The range is quite large to date, featuring a mix of character portraits, and family scenes. The latest issue is one of the latter, and themed for the Christmas holiday.

Two silver variants, one the standard job available in encapsulated, and blistercard mounted versions, while the same is also true for the coloured coin. Both will keep Simpsons fans happy.

A new series of Cambodian coins exclusive to Hong Kong dealer, LPM Group, it will have depictions of Cambodia’s exotic wildlife. The debut issue features the Clouded Leopard. It looks okay, although the images really aren’t flattering, so we suspect it will look better in hand. There’s a silver and gold version, both in one-ounce form, as well as a coloured silver version. A coin we’d like to get a sample of to get some images of.

Like their Star Wars range, the New Zealand Mint does a similar one for Disney, encompassing the characters, and increasingly, the classic movies. Latest to get the treatment is this silver only (currently, at least) coin marking the 30th anniversary of Aladdin. A huge hit on release, it remains a classic, despite Disney’s recent live-action remake. Not much to say here, really. A clean design, with the usual standard obverse.

This one looks good, offering not just Jody Clark’s final effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse face, but his interpretation of the classic St. George and the Dragon on the reverse. It’s a bold, dynamic piece of work, quite different in style to Pistrucci’s classic on the Sovereign. Devoid of annoying inscriptions, it uses the full coin surface to fine effect. Just a one-ounce silver bullion coin, at present, although there re gold and silver proof coins for the well-heeled, and we’d imagine they look especially attractive in hand. Another LPM Group exclusive.