Man’s best friends come in many shapes and sizes, the average persons first choice being usually a cat or a dog. While the Mint of Poland has recognised this in past years with series of silver coins, this series showcases some of the most magnificent breeds of horses in the world, often the result of human guided selective breeding. This series is on an annual release schedule, and the second coin featured here follows on from one released last February that featured the Arabian Horse breed (pictured below-right).

There are no surprises with the format. The Mint of Poland consistently have series of coins in progress struck in 17.5g of fine silver which is then selectively coloured on the reverse side. A fine case in point is the SOS Endangered Animal Species series of ten coins, along with others such as Fascinating Birds. Unlike the SOS range, the horse coin eschews any form of ornamentation and carries a nice, clean and attractive design. The obverse is the usual Mint of Poland/Niue effort. The reverse has a good image of the horse with a sihouette clean struck into the background, the mint seeming to do digital printing better than most. The inscription, ‘Andalusian Horse’ circumnavigates the coin in both English and Polish. Packaging differs from the SOS again, going with the mints new standard box which sits inside a brightly coloured shipper. Both are of a great quality for the money and not too large. Selling for around the €70-75 mark, it’s available to buy now.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

Elevated movements of the Andalusian horse are cadenced, elegant and perfectly balanced. The Mint of Poland, inspired by the charm and nobility of these majestic animals, is proud to present the second commemorative coin from the series “Man’s Best Friends – Horses”.

Not only lovers of equestrian activities will be enchanted with its silver gleams! Vivid images of the hot-blooded Andalusian horses dynamically reflect the sheer beauty of these gentle animals. Thanks to best-quality digital printing the image of the palfrey depicted on the coin looks strikingly lifelike. The design of the reverse alludes to the mountainous landscape of Andalusia – the cradle of the Pure Spanish Horse.

Legend has it that the Carthusian horses, considered to be the purest strain of Andalusians, were bred by monks since the 15th century. The Spanish breeders were instructed by the military to crossbreed their pure-blooded mares with heavier drafts to produce a war horse able to carry a warrior in his heavy armor. A small group of breeders secretly disobeyed this order, and hid their precious animals in a monastery. Since then, Andalusians were protected and developed as a breed under the watchful eye of the Carthusian monks.

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SPECIFICATION