LPM launches a new Street Fighter bullion coin series with an attractive Ryu debut release

We’ve already remarked about the big uptick in coins celebrating the videogame world, and that doesn’t seem like abating anytime soon. Latest to appear in the numismatic arcades is the next in LPM’s Street Fighter homage, following their Mini-Figure coins, and a coloured bullion series with classic character art on them. It’s another bullion coin, but the artwork employed here is on a whole other level.

Ryu, as the longest-running fighting game character, now coming up on his 35th birthday, is the obvious first choice, and it’s a superb, very modern interpretation, far removed from the early look that LPM used on the first series. Filling the coin face and displaying the special powers the game character has, it’s hard to envisage a better depiction. Three one-ounce coins make up the range, all carrying the same base
design and all issued for Tuvalu (this is a strike by the Perth Mint).

The core format will be the clean silver, which has a mintage of 15,000 pieces and is supplied encapsulated. That coin is also available in colour, which is very nicely done, and there will be 5,000 of those. Of that 5,000 coins, 20% of them will come mounted to a colourful blistercard, much like the Perth Mint did with their Stock Horse coins, for example. You can see the artwork for that at the top of this post. Lastly, there’s a clean gold coin that comes encapsulated, but with a C.O.A., and that tops out at just 100 units.

This is the first in a series, and on this evidence, it looks like it will be a fine one. We know the videogame genre isn’t for everyone, but you underestimate its popularity at your peril, and it’s hard to argue against a coin that looks this neat – a real tribute to a popular culture classic. The franchise has some visually amazing characters in it, so future releases hold a lot of potential. An LPM release, it’s available to order from later today.