Representing the Fire Elemental, the Salamander concludes Art Mint’s four issue Elementals silver coin series
Art Mint’s four-coin showcase of the four elements of earth, air, fire and water, concludes with the elemental associated with fire. This pretty series is based around the ideas postulated by the 16th century Swiss physician, alchemist-philosopher, Paracelsus, created during the German Renaissance. While obviously nonsensical, they’ve become widely associated with various beliefs to this day.
The last coin is the most intensely coloured of them, as you would expect for a fire elemental, depicting a bright red salamander twisting around, the flames licking at its body. In keeping with the series style set by earlier coins (I’ve added images of them lower down), to the left and right of this central triangle, are anthropomorphic representations of fire elementals. Below, is embedded a scarlet crystal, representing fire, much like Undine had a blue crystal for water. It’s a very cool design, in my view.
The common obverse, with its segmented layout, returns, and the serial number is engraved on the coin’s edge. It comes boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity, which you can see below (although for the Sylph coin, but they’re the same). This has been a really well realised series, just as you’d expect from Art Mint. We’ll be interested to see what they have for 2025, and you’ll reaad about it here as soon as we have more information. We’ve covered the earlier issues, Earth/Gnome, Water/Undine, and Wind/Sylph, so feel free to check those out while I compile them all into a Coin Series Profile shortly.
MINTS DESCRIPTION: The salamander is an amphibian of the order Urodela which, as with many real creatures, has often been ascribed fantastic and sometimes occult qualities by pre-modern authors (as in the allegorical descriptions of animals in medieval bestiaries) not possessed by the real organism. The legendary salamander is often depicted as a typical salamander in shape with a lizard-like form, but is usually ascribed an affinity with fire, sometimes specifically elemental fire. This legendary creature embodies the fantastic qualities that ancient and medieval commentators ascribed to the natural salamander. Many of these qualities are rooted in verifiable traits of the natural creature but often exaggerated. A large body of legend, mythology, and symbolism has developed around this creature over the centuries.
Symbol of love, desire, anger, power, assertiveness, and energy. Fire is considered to be the first element to be created on earth. Fire is predominantly associated with the sun, and is a warm and dry element. It gives off light, which protects all living creatures from the shadows of night. Fire is transformative, and when merged with other elements, it can change and grow. For instance, when fire encounters air, it grows bigger, and burns brighter. Fire is associated with the season of summer, hot afternoons, and the cardinal direction south, and is typically depicted through the colours orange, red, and yellow. It’s associated with the mythical creature, salamander. The fire element is associated with planet Mars, and the corresponding zodiac signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Fire is a powerful, masculine element, and is symbolized by a triangle or a pyramid pointing upwards, towards the skies.
DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIAMETER | FINISH | MINTAGE |
2,000 Francs CFA (Cameroon) | 62.2 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 mm | Antique, Colour | 300 |
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