Mint of Poland’s Woman Warrior series moves North from the Greek Amazons to the Norse Valkyrie

After several months of a covid-caused lack of activity, the Mint of Poland is back with the newest entry in their superb 2oz selection of ancient mythology and history themed coins. The new release we’re looking at today is the second in the mints Woman Warriors series . Launched last year with a fine Amazons coin, the second issue sees the focus move North from the Mediterranean, to the colder Scandanavian lands that were home to the Norse warriors of legend.

The Valkyrie have long been a source of inspiration, from the prose of old, right up to the Marvel superhero blockbusters of today. A good choice of subject for a series with this theme, it’s also another fine looking coin as well. The Valkyrie is depicted on a rearing horse amidst a desne forest. We often see the Valkyrie astride winged horses in flight, but the mint has gone with a more grounded approach, more in line with the true image of these warriors. As you’d expect given their impressive track record, the coin exhibits superb levels of detail, unhindered by the high-relief strike.

The two signature elemnts of this specific series – the gilded sword and wooden shield – return again, and should make an equally attractive embellishment to the antique finish if the first coin is an indicator. The obverse remains the same as the first coin. As always, two ounces of silver, rimless, ultra-high-relief, antiqued and issued for Niue, which is a formula that works exceptionally well.

The coin comes boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity, and has a mintage capped at 555 pieces. Our opinion on the Mint of Poland’s range of coins in this format and genre is well known, and there’s nothing here that will tarnish that opinion one iota. Check out our Thematic Guide to this range to get an idea of the breadth of quality on offer. We’ll add this one to it. Available to order shortly, it is distributed by Pela Coins..

THE VALKYRIE

In Norse mythology, a Valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja’s afterlife field Fólkvangr), the Valkyries take their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin. There, the deceased warriors become einherjar (Old Norse “single (or once) fighters”). When the einherjar are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the Valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by ravens and sometimes connected to swans or horses.

Valkyries are attested in the Poetic Edda (a book of poems compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources), the Prose Edda, the Heimskringla (both by Snorri Sturluson) and the Njáls saga (one of the Sagas of Icelanders), all written—or compiled—in the 13th century. They appear throughout the poetry of skalds, in a 14th-century charm, and in various runic inscriptions.

Archaeological excavations throughout Scandinavia have uncovered amulets theorized as depicting valkyries. In modern culture, valkyries have been the subject of works of art, musical works, comic books, video games and poetry. (Source: Wikipedia)