I’ve always found Norse mythology to be a bit of a minefield when it comes to nailing down who did what, when and why, but that’s probably true of most religions. However, there are some elements that appear in most of the old texts, chief amongst them the Prose Edda, and the Poetic Edda, considered some of the most important sources on this Scandinavian culture, and the Germanic peoples that followed on from them. The latest part of the mythology to draw the attention of Germania Mint are the Norns.

The Norns are three goddesses (although the Poetic Edda mentions numerous lesser Norns), usually associated with the fate of mankind, and somewhat analogous to the Fates in Greek myths. They live in a hall under one of the roots of the world tree, Yggdrasil. Urd is the oldest of the three, and she is linked to the past. Tending to the present is Werdanda (also called Verdandi), and looking to the future is Skuld. They are said to weave out a thread of life, with one spinning the thread, another measuring its length, and the last deciding when it should be cut, just like the Greek Fates, from where the idea may have originated.

Germania Mint artist Kinga Sabatowicz has done an exceptional job with the design of these. The figures on the three one-ounce silver bullion coins are elegant, and exhibit a fine grasp of anatomy. Each is placed within the intricate root system of Yggdrasil, and they’re all framed by a border carrying a flowing runic-style pattern. For me, these are very attractive designs.

That flowing root system and woven thread carries over to the common obverse, in the centre of which is sited the mint’s bicephalous eagle. Each coin has a mintage of 5,000 pieces, and is sold individually, so picking out the one you like most is an easy job, and more important than ever given the current spot price of silver, which makes three-ounces quite a chunk of change these days! Each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, marked with GM’s hologram, and is available to order now. Love these!