The first of them is the newest, and is called ‘Mystic Leafwing Butterfly’. The word mystic is descriptive, of course, but the real Leafwing Butterfly is a whole subfamily of butterflies called the Charaxinae. There are around 400 species of them, inhabiting vast swathes of the planet, particularly in tropical regions. The one MK uses on their packaging looks like one of the Anaea genus, found throughout the US, Central America, and the Caribbean, a really beautiful group.

This is a two-ounce silver coin, shaped like a leaf. The obverse has a full leaf pattern on it, including multiple veins, and a texture. The issue details of the coin, it’s for Cameroon, are incorporated here, and it has a light-antique finish. The reverse is the real star of the show, having a darker, tinted finish to emulate leaf litter, and alighted upon it is a Leafwing Butterfly, beautifully realised, and carrying its own unique texturing. As has been MK’s practice of late, there’s also a UV colour application, and the butterfly glows in the dark.

It’s all very pretty, eschewing the fantastical for a more realistic depiction of the subject, excepting the glowing, of course. The finish suits it well, and it’s all very original. As usual with Mint of MK, the mintage is small, at just 199 pieces in this case, and it comes boxed with a COA. Available to order now.