Carpathian Mint kicks off two new silver coin series with Rebel Time, and Seven Seals of the Apocalypse

After a quiet few months, the Carpathian Mint is back with not one, but two new releases, both of which start off a new series. Each of them keeps the classic high-relief, antique-finished silver coin format, beloved by many, and home to some of the finest numismatics of the last decade. One has the most popular two-ounce weight, the other tipping the scales at three ounces.

The Rebel Time range will showcase famous rebellions, although in a way that appears a little different to the norm. The Seven Seals of the Apocalypse range will continue the biblical theme of destruction, although again, in a way a little differently than the simple view many hold. We have to give credit to the mint for their explanation of the inspiration behind the designs, which we reproduced in part below with each coin.

Both coins should be available to pre-order now, and come boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity. It will be interesting to see each series develop in coming years.

REBEL TIME: CAPOEIRA

The first coin signifies the launch of Rebel Time, a series that will look at some of the most famous rebellions in history. The choice of subject for the debut is an unusual one, and it’s a pleasure to see someone bringing new subjects to life in numismatic form. The end of slavery in Brazil is featured, and done so symbolically, using the Afro-Brazilian martial art of Capoeira as a metaphor.

It’s more of a celebration of the downtrodden people in the country, many of whom continue to struggle in the favelas, in extreme poverty. We feel this coin series will be more about the feelings of hope that inspired these rebellions, rather than the historical facts of them, clearly seen on the very unusual obverse design. Clearly a lot of time and passion went into the thought behind the design.

This is a two-ounce range, and packs in the usual features of high-relief (on both sides), and an antique finish. The touch of colour on the macaw is nicely done, and well restrained. We’ve had preliminary information on the next two coins, and this looks to be a potentially excellent series. A neat launch coin.

MINT DESCRIPTION

 

REVERSE: On the left side, among the Amazon jungle, we see three Capoeiras playing instruments, from the left playing the Atabaque, the Berimbau (“sacred bow”) and the Pandeiro. The battery (“Orchestra”) sets the rhythm for competition between Capoeiras.

The man performs a high spinning Martelo kick, and the woman gracefully avoids his attack using the Negativa technique. This competition is a metaphor for the struggle between the elements of water and fire. Eventually, it was concluded that both were necessary for life to exist. This metaphor emphasizes that competition does not always have to result in defeating the other side, but can lead to understanding and respect for differences between people, cultures or ideas. Capoeiras competition take place in a circle called Roda (“Wheel of Life, which represents the cycle of life, death and rebirth).

At the top, is the back of the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Symbolically, the statue of Jesus with its back turned reflects the demoralization of life, reminding us of the need for internal transformation and striving for moral values such as love, respect, kindness and care for others. It is also a hope for redemption and reconciliation, even in situations where it seems impossible.

On the right, the Favelas are a symbol of social inequality, poverty and lack of equal opportunities in access to education, work and housing. Favelas also symbolize the lack of control and limited powers of the state. On the other hand, favelas also have their own unique lifestyle and culture, which can be seen as a symbol of social strength and resilience, despite difficult living conditions.

Below, we see slave-working women and men from colonial times. We refer the symbol of slavery in Brazil to the general context of the fight for freedom, equality and justice around the world. Slavery was a violation of basic human rights and a manifestation of the absolute power of some people over others.

Overall, the slave symbol on the Rebel Time series coin is intended to remind us of the need to fight for freedom, equality and justice for all people. It also reminds us that as a society, we must work to protect human rights and avoid abuses of power.

At the bottom is a macaw parrot, this intelligent, independent and brave bird, with strong and durable features, is a symbol of tenacity and determination in the fight for freedom, hope and emancipation.

OBVERSE: The obverse of the coin shows analogies to Mount Rushmore. In our interpretation, on the fictional peak of Mount Hope, there are huge heads of children of four nationalities: Slavic, Asian, Native American, and African. The head of a Slavic child represents the strength and determination of the Slavs, who have survived many difficult times and are still an important element of world culture and history.

The head of an Asian child represents the wisdom and harmony that Asians bring to the world. The head of a Native American child symbolizes the beauty and spirituality of the indigenous people of North America, and the head of an African child – the perseverance and strength of character of African Americans who have gone through many difficult times and yet remain steadfast and proud of their heritage.

The faces of four children on Mount Hope remind us of the power of diversity, of the cultural strength and importance that each nation brings to the world. They are a symbol of unity and cooperation between different cultures, which is extremely important nowadays.

SEVEN SEALS OF THE APOCALYPSE: WHITE HORSE

The second coin is the first of seven in the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse range, inspired by the Apocalypse of St. John, from the biblical Book of Revelation. These are three-ounce coins, with an insert on both the reverse and obverse faces. That insert is styled to look like a wax seal, and will differ for every issue, not just in design, but also in placement. You can see where they will go on the obverse, but the placement on the reverse will no doubt shift to suit the artwork.

The design is packed to the edges with chaotic action, the central figure mounted on the white horse, and wielding a gilded bow. Roman legionaries surround him, with their gladus drawn. The obverse maps out the series, and we look forward to seeing it develop in the coming years. A good companion series to the Four Horsemen range. The next issue will be the Red Horse of Peace.

MINT DESCRIPTION

 

REVERSE: Depicts a scene with the first rider on a white horse. He is often identified with Christ as a figure bringing the expectation of salvation and heralding a period of peace and hope. Its connotations include spiritual victory, triumph and the beginning of a new and better period to come, removing suffering and injustice and replacing them with kindness, love and harmony. It is a symbol of hope for salvation and positive transformation, in which good overcomes evil.

The golden bow, facing the soldiers of the Roman empire, is a symbol of strength and shows a willingness to defend values and fight for justice. Roman soldiers represent antagonistic forces, the scene is a symbolic reflection of determination and readiness to defend truth and spiritual values, being the hope of victory over evil.

In the background we see the bodies of people, representing suffering, mortality, chaos and the consequences of confrontation. The whole painting is set on a dostone and ideal palace reflecting stability, a base of spiritual strength and hope. The floating patacas visible in the background of the palace indicate purification and rebirth.

Summing up the symbolism of the message of the “White Horse – Victory” coin, it depicts the spiritual struggle between good and evil, reflecting hope for positive change, readiness to defend values and spiritual strength with the hope of purification, rebirth.

OBVERSE: The sight of meteorites falling to earth from space symbolizes not so much destruction, but rather transformation and purification. It is a reference to the inner transformation of humanity and the world, where falling meteorites represent a process of purification and positive change that leads to a new beginning, full of hope and spiritual awakening.

Against the background of the meteorites falling to earth, we have placed the seven seals of the apocalypse as symbolic stages or events, each signifying the next step towards the fulfilment of St. John’s prophecy. The red colour signifies the first seal, which symbolizes victory, and thus the start of the process of breaking through the successive stages of the Apocalypse. It testifies to our spiritual readiness to fight good against evil for positive change in the hope of purification, rebirth.

SPECIFICATION
COIN REBEL TIME SEVEN SEALS
DENOMINATION 2000 Francs CFA (Cameroon) $7 NZD (Niue)
COMPOSITION 62.2 g of 0.999 silver 93.3 g of 0.999 silver
DIMENSIONS 50.0 mm 60.0 mm
FINISH Antique Antique
MODIFICATIONS High relief, Colour High relief, Colour, Gilding
MINTAGE 500 500