Germania Mint has released the eighth in its very popular ‘Runes’ range of one-ounce silver bars. Each of these carries a runic symbol from the early Northern European cultures, and this release is Gebo. It literally means ‘gift’, and is associated with trade, sacrifice, altruism, balance, and hospitality. Gebo is the seventh rune in the Elder Futhark system, that may date back some two millennia, and was associated with Freyr and Freyja. Around the 7th-8th century, Younger Futhark (Norse Runes) took over from Elder, and Gebo faded from use.

A small shaped bar of 0.9999 silver, each rune is emblazoned on the reverse, and has a UV glow-in-the-dark treatment. They have that ‘handled’ look which is attractive, and the back of the bar carries the inscribed composition. There really isn’t much more to these than that, and that unpretentious nature may explain their popularity. They come in a bag with a matching rune symbol on the front, and in a box with the C.O.A. Available now.