Germania Mint and the Bank of Malta join forces for their new Knights of the Past silver bullion series

We’re admirers of what the Germania Mint has achieved over the last few years. They’ve built a cohesive coin range, running from bullion coins, to some beautiful numismatics, all themed around the semi-historical region of ‘Germania’. They simultaneously have the benefits of a national identity, even if it has tenuous links to reality, and of a freedom brought about by the lack of modern political influence. The range is quite wide already, and very well defined, with a national flora, a national personification, and real historical personalities.

Now, however, they’ve partnered up with a modern country. Malta is a little jewel in the Mediterranean. having been occupied for at least 8,000 years, with a rich and dramatic history. The Germania Mint and the Central Bank of Malta have chosen the Knights of Malta as the first in their ‘Knights of the Past’ series. A pair of knights bearing the symbol of the famous Knights Hospitaller adorn the reverse face. One is mounted, all are armed. In the background is the Verdala Palace, a landmark of Malta still in use today.

It’s a really nice design, filling the coin face, with just the denomination and series title inscribed on it, both relatively unobtrusively. The obverse has the emblem of the Knights of Malta emblazoned on a shield, held by a knight. It’s a neat way to present it, giving it a layered appearance.

The big news is the bullion coin version. An ounce of 0.9999 silver in weight and with a Euro denomination and a 15,000 mintage, this is clearly a very attractive item in the limited mintage market, and as the first in a series from a sovereign nation, doubly so. It wouldn’t be the Germania Mint without a special, and the multi-plated (gold, palladium, ruthenium) high-relief version looks a fine piece. This one is also silver, but two ounces in weight and capped at a mintage of 999 pieces. These won’t ship until late Summer, but we’d expect them to be very popular.

THE VERDALA PALACE

Designed by Maltese architect, Girolamo Cassar, the Renaissance style Verdale Palace was built in 1586 during the reign of Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle. Situated in the Buskett Gardens in Malta, this limestone building, while giving the appearance of a military fort, was most definitely not. Filled with ornate decoration, it was a place of leisure, and remains today the official summer residence of the Maltese President.

The site originally held a hunting lodge, built around three decades before work started on its expansion into the Verdala Palace. It was enhanced in both the 17th and 18th centuries, but had fallen from favour somewhat in the 19th. From 1798-1800 it was employed as a prison for captured French soldiers, then as a silk factory, before falling into further disrepair. Fortunately, it was fully restored in the 1850’s by Governor Sir William Reid, and became the official summer residency of the Governors of Malta after the First World War. It was restored again in 1982, and five years later, became the official summer residence of the President of Malta.