‘Fear Tales’ concludes its four-coin run through the fairy stories of old with the classic Beauty and the Beast

The last of Powercoin’s dark, some would say realistic, take on the fables of old concludes with one that’s a little more upbeat and modern than the previous three issues. First issued in 2019 with Little Red Riding Hood, and followed in 2020 with The Little Match Girl, and 2021 with Hansel and Gretel, the series draws inspiration from the original, sometimes medieval stories, rather than the insipid Disneyfied efforts of today, and is all the better for it.

This last issue in the series is ‘Beauty and the Beast’, a story that traces its routes back to the mid-18th century, published in 1740 by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. In 1756, it fell to another French novelist, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, to rewrite it for children, into the form most popular today. It’s a simple story of love and perseverance, much like the princess and the frog, and several others where good is revealed from perceived bad, but with a big Disney movie, and a long-running TV show, we’re sure you know the ins and outs just fine.

The coin is designed by talented Italian artist Chiara Principe, also responsible for several other Powercoin projects, including Little Red Riding Hood, as well as coins for the Vatican, and San Marino. We love the look of this one. The beast actually looks bestial, and Belle looks like a proper human being rather than a caricature, so the contrast between them is very real. The enchanted rose in the glass dome, petals falling, is an attractive way to cover the difficult merge of the two characters, and provide a central focal point. There is colour, but it’s subtle in application.

The common obverse of the Fear Tales series returns, of course, with its foreboding forest silhouette, and poignant sign. An issue for the Republic of Palau, the island nation’s shield Coat of Arms sits in the middle of a ring-fenced area. As you’d expect, there’s a Certificate of Authenticity for each of the 500 minted, and a box. The latter is a brilliant, wooden effort, made to replicate a book, and very inventive. A fine end to the series. Available to order now.

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION $10 Palau
COMPOSITION 0.999 silver
WEIGHT 62.2 grams
DIMENSIONS 45.0 mm
FINISH Antique
MODIFICATIONS High-relief, Colour
MINTAGE 500
BOX / C.O.A. Yes / Yes