In 2021, the Lithuanian Mint debuted a new series of one-ounce silver coins, each bringing to numismatic life one of the famous fairy tales from our literary past. The first coin, and one that seemed to strike a chord with collectors, was called ‘Blue Fairy Tale’, and was clearly based around Alice in Wonderland, a classic of the genre.

The latest issue is the 14th in the ‘Fairy Tales’ range to date, and for its inspiration, the mint has turned full circle with a return to that Lewis Carroll classic. Rather than the titular protagonist, Alice, this time the infamous White Rabbit is the focus, and he’s depicted here in his anthropomorphic form, fancifully dressed, and laying on a chessboard. The walls in the background are covered with playing card symbols. All of these are nods to the beloved original 1865 work, with only the bird carrying a clover leaf not having an obvious link.

The design has an almost hand made feel to it, eschewing the clinical accuracy of a CAD design, for something more natural, and given the subject, I think it looks better for it. The colouring is similarly casual, and the whole thing has that tinge of surrealism. The obverse is a standard Niue seal. One downside is the packaging, which while decent enough, has lost those brightly themed cylindrical boxes that almost every prior issue has had. Not a major point, but a shame. Available now.