Mint 21 debuts its First wildlife coin with an impressive ultra High relief Long eared owl for Niue

Relatively new to the scene but with a healthy prior history, Mint21 have nevertheless issued some superb coin designs over the last couple of years. The Spartan Hoplite coin in particular was a striking example of introducing your own style to a highly competitive genre, now the producer has set its sights on the wildlife genre.

The beast of choice for the debut is a flying nocturnal hunter of great ability called the Long-eared owl. The design is a great representation, taking full advantage of the ultra High relief strike to impart a fine sense of depth, while the High level of detail does a great job of placing the Bird in its natural habitat.

The moon is gilded and makes a neat focal point for the eye. We like that Mint21 isn’t afraid to provide some close up images of a finished coin like the one above, in which you can clearly see how well struck the coin is. It’s impressive how Far the numismatic art has come over the last decade as new techniques and technologies are brought to bare, and this looks to be a great example of that.

The obverse is a standard Niue affair, sans any customisation. Packaging comprises of a good quality wooden box with a Certificate of Authenticity. The mintage is capped at 500 pieces and this 2oz silver coin should be available for pre order any time now.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The Long-eared Owl or Asio Otus, so named for its special ear tufts, is a species of owl that can be found in Europe, Asia, North America, and some parts of Africa. These nocturnal birds often occur in forests, mostly coniferous, near open meadows. Thanks to a specific structure of ther flight feathers, these owls can glide slowly and nearly inaudibly, which in combination with acute hearing makes these birds excellent hunters.

The beautiful depiction of the owl in its natural habitat has been captured in a High relief design on this silver coin. The realistic effect of this night predator’s image is intensified by somevgilded details; the eyes of the Bird and the full moon of the background.