A new bullion coin series from Scottsdale Mint, a producer known for its varied and widespread selection, Serpent of Milan was an interesting idea. Based on a centuries old emblem from the Italian city-state, the Biscione depicts a serpent eating a human child. It's currently still used by the top tier football team, Inter Milan and by the car maker, Alfa Romeo. The debut of this design at the beginning of the [...]
It was in January that the Royal Mint surprised us all with the debut of its new 'Music Legends' range. Launching with one of the biggest bands in history - Queen - the collaboration with music management company Bravado and Universal Music Group, opened up quite a bit of speculation on who would be next. In a very rare example of us guessing correctly, Elton John is the next subject. The Queen coin appears [...]
A series that debuted back in 2015 with the Amber Scarabaeus, the Mint of Poland's Ancient Egyptian themed series has evolved by taking the same basic design - an Egyptian atyle beetle - and decorating it with different types of plating, colour and minerals. In all, it's been quite an eclectic mix, and one we'll probably do a Coin Series Profile on soon.These remain 17.5 gram 0.999 silver coins, issued for Niue and [...]
A big hit over the last few years, both with collectors and award ceremonies, Powercoins innovative Micromosaic Passion series is back for a fourth time with a second interpretation of the work of Italian Renaissance master, Leonardo da Vinci. This time, it's the charming portrait of Cecilia Gallerani called Lady with an Ermine. Any similarities with Doctor Evil holding Mr Bigglesworth are purely coincidental...The deceptively clever painting is reproduced in the series signature style, [...]
Launching in April, the New Zealand Mint issued the first Archangel in a new series of rectangular 1oz silver coins - Gabriel. The second is here now and features a depiction of the Archangel Michael from a stained-glass window in Hull Minster in England. A beautiful piece of art by Mary Hutchinson, Gabriel was also based on her work in this superb 13th century building. You can read more about it in [...]
One of the New Zealand Mint's superb 'Premium Foil' series, DC Comic Covers reproduces some of the iconic cover artwork from the last 80 years of what is now known today as DC. Some of the most popular superheroes around have been birthed in this period, and with the genre now more popular than ever, although ironically not as actual comics, these are a great way for the fan to obtain the [...]
After a look at the latest in the hit Chiwoo Cheonwang series of bullion rounds just yesterday, we move on to the other major series from Korean mint, KOMSCO. Zi:SIn is a beautifully realised and very loose interpretation of the lunar calendar, using the fable Twelve Guardians in place of the usual animals. Launching in 2017 with Gallus (Rooster), and followed up by Canis (Dog) and Scrofa (Pig), the 2020 issue features Rattus (Rat). These [...]
Chiwoo Cheonwang is back. The hit KOMSCO bullion medallion series returns for the fifth time with a new design - one sure to please collectors of this series. Depicting a fabled God of War from the regions ancient mythology of the third millennium BCE, Chiwoo (or Chiyou) remains a popular cultural figure on the Korean Peninsula to this day. The bullion medallion is eagerly awaited, and not just within the borders of Korea, but [...]
Along with Mozart, Beethoven is a byword for musical genius. While his exact birthdate is not known, he was baptised on 17th December 1770, so 2020 is considered his 250th anniversary. His first major orchestral work premiered in 1800 and he died just 27 years later, leaving behind a highly regarded body of music, even more impressive in light of his increasing deafness - losing his hearing completely by 1814. The Helvetic [...]
Micromosiac Passion was an unusual concept for a series at first glance. If you want proof positive that you don't need gimmickry to come up with something clever and beautiful, the Powercoin series was it. Ostensibly a cleanly struck coin with some colour, something hardly rare these days, it was the execution that took them to another level.Employing CIT & BH Mayer's awesome Smartminting technology, that coin range exhibited some superbly defined minting. Following last [...]
