New bullion coin round-up for July, with a first issue for Sierra Leone, and a Dutch Ducaton inspired by the 18th-century original

A bit later in the day than I’d hoped (I always underestimate the time it takes to collate these articles), here we have our July round-up of the new bullion coin releases from around the world. Another healthy and varied selection, a mix of new coins, and additions to ongoing series, in both gold and silver.

The easy headliner for me is that gorgeous Ducaton from the Royal Dutch Mint. I love these homages to our numismatic past, and this is a particularly attractive piece. The third Apex Predators coin is also a pretty one, and the IG-11 Star Wars issue, and the Cash Indian Wildlife, are also nice. The Lion design from Pobjoy Mint is an important one – the first bullion coin issued for Sierra Leone, so worth a punt on that fact alone, we feel.

Lastly, there’s a new religious coin from Scottsdale Mint, available in eight formats, that donates a relatively large amount to charity for every sale. A nice way to build up the stack and do a bit of good in the process. Until next time, enjoy.

2022 DUCATON ‘SILVER RIDER’ (Royal Dutch Mint)

Now, this is stunning. A ‘restrike’ of a coin first issued in the Dutch States in 1659 and staying in production until 1798, the ‘Silver Rider’ was a Ducaton, weighing just over a troy ounce of 0.941 fineness silver. The reverse face depicts a knight on horseback, sword in hand, over the coat-of-arms of the Dutch republic of Utrecht. The obverse is a detailed coat-of-arms, complete with two rampant, crowned lions.

The Royal Dutch Mint has issued some superb ‘restrikes’ in recent years, which we’ve failed to cover as well as we should, to be honest. All of them have been outstanding, and a breath of fresh air amongst all the more modern designs flooding the market. This one is a homage to an extremely important historical numismatic, and deserves attention for that reason alone. However, even if it wasn’t, you’d want it for its appearance.

Limited to just 10,000 pieces, this is a coin exclusively distributed by US dealer, APMEX. For the well-heeled, the Royal Dutch Mint has a selection of proof variants, in silver, gold and platinum, and in piedfort form. Some are packaged in Royal Delft earthenware. Superb.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
None (medallion) 0.9999 silver 31.1 g 40.9 mm B / UNC 10,000 NO / NO

2022 SIERRA LEONE LION (Pobjoy Mint)

It isn’t often that we see a first time bullion release for a new country, but Sierra Leone on the coast of SW Africa has joined the ranks with the help of the British Pobjoy Mint. Lifting the design from the mint’s 2019 Big Five series, it carries a lion portrait done in what we can only describe as an African tribal style, with the mint saying it was inspired by the masks used in parts of this continent.

The obverse has the Sierra Leone coat-of-arms on it. If you saw our photoshoot of one of the Wild Five coins (the proof sequel series to the Big Five), you can see these are far better looking than the official images show, and we reckon this would be a nice buy, even if it wasn’t a national first, or had a mintage bigger than a very attractive 5,000 pieces. There’s a gold version with a micro-mintage of just 50 pieces.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 (Sierra Leone) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 38.6 mm REV FROSTED 5,000 NO / NO
$100 (Sierra Leone) 0.9999 gold 31.1 g 32.7 mm REV FROSTED 50 NO / NO

2022 APEX PREDATORS: TIGER VS KOMODO DRAGON (Perth Mint)

After the first issue in APMEX’s ‘Apex Predators’ series, depicting a lion in conflict with hyenas, and the second coin featuring a bear in combat with a cougar, it’s a more unusual pairing for the third issue, and our favourite to date. Fights between tigers and Komodo Dragons are likely very rare, indeed most predators often choose to avoid others, as even a win can lead to a dangerous injury, but they make for exciting imagery.

This one is first class, enhanced by the series eschewing any distractions like borders or inscriptions on the reverse face. Anatomy looks good, and there are no obvious flaws in the perspective. We really like this one. The only bullion variant is the workhorse one-ounce silver, but there’s a pretty, gilded five-ounce proof version with a 65 mm diameter and a 500 mintage.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 NZD (Niue) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 39 mm B / UNC 10,000 NO / NO

2022 THE MANDALORIAN: IG-11 (New Zealand Mint)

The third ‘The Mandalorian’ bullion coin, although we’re well into double figures on Star Wars releases in this market, it features the fan-favourite, former assassin droid, IG-11, voiced in the TV show by the brilliant director, Taika Waititi. A nice change from the usual Vader and Stormtrooper coins, this will surely be popular with the show’s legion of fans. The obverse carries the emblem of Niue. Check out the whole range in our Bullion Profile.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD (Niue) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 40.7 mm B / UNC 25,000 NO / NO
$250 NZD (Niue) 0.9999 gold 31.1 g 32.0 mm B / UNC 250 NO / NO

2022 GODDESSES OF OLYMPUS: ATHENA (Perth Mint/LPM)

Reissuing the classic ‘Gods’ coins from the Perth Mint, a series that arguably kickstarted the hugely popular antique-finished, high-relief ancient mythology genre, LPM have launched the fifth of them in bullion form. This is the second of the three ‘Goddesses of Olympus’ coins, and features Athena, one of the most important in the Greek pantheon.

It’s quite an expansive range, with one-ounce gold, one-ounce silver (in BU and antiqued finishes), and five-ounce silver (same choice of finish) Some of the mintages are very low indeed. A nice addition.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 TVD (Tuvalu) 0.9999 silver 31.1 g 40.0 mm B / UNC 13,500 NO / NO
$5 TVD (Tuvalu) 0.9999 silver 155.5 g 40.0 mm B / UNC 450 NO / NO
$1 TVD (Tuvalu) 0.9999 silver 31.1 g 80.0 mm ANTIQUED 1,500 NO / NO
$5 TVD (Tuvalu) 0.9999 silver 155.5 g 16.0 mm ANTIQUED 50 NO / NO
$100 TVD (Tuvalu) 0.9999 gold 31.1 g 40.0 mm B / UNC 100 NO / NO

2022 SUPER PIT: KOMATSU (Perth Mint)

A series with a unique, but very appropriate subject, Super Pit showcases the giant Fimiston Open Pit gold mine in Australia. Around 3.5 kilometres in width, 1.5 kilometres in width and in excess of 600 metres in depth, it produces around 20 tons of gold annually. The first two issues (2019 and 2021) depicted the pit itself, but this third coin has a huge Komatsu earth-mover in the foreground, for an interesting change.

Two formats are on offer, both a troy ounce in weight. The 0.9999 gold coin has a 5,000 mintage, and the 0.9999 silver coin tops out at a relatively large 100,000. The obverse features the new international version of Jody Clark’s effigy of QEII. All told, something a little different

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$1 AUD (Australia) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 40.90 mm B / UNC 100,000 NO / NO
$100 AUD (Australia) 0.9999 gold 31.1 g 32.60 mm B / UNC 5,000 YES / YES

2022 CASH INDIAN WILDLIFE: RHINO (East India Company)

Following the Tiger, Peacock, Elephant, and Cobra, the Rhino is the fifth in this neat series from the East India Company. Derived from the Cash coins used during the time of British rule in India, the execution here is thoroughly modern, taking nothing design-wise from the currency of the period. These have a wide border holding issue details, and the centre has a background field with a mesh background.

The Rhino depicted here, an endangered One-Horn Indian species, is well realised, which has been the case with all of this series. The obverse has a similar border and background field, but has the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II in place of the animal. The range is exclusively distributed by APMEX.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
£1 UKP (St Helena) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 38.6 mm B / UNC 7,500 NO / NO
£5 UKP (St Helena) 0.999 silver 155.5 g 65.0 mm B / UNC 250 YES / YES
£100 UKP (St Helena) 0.999 gold 31.1 g 38.6 mm B / UNC 200 YES / YES

2022 CELTIC ANIMALS: ROOSTER (APMEX)

Picturing animals using Celtic patterns, the Rooster is the eighth in this series issued for the African nation, Chad. A simple design, unadventurous even, it runs in parallel with the Mandala series below, even down to the issuing country. They must be popular enough, however, no doubt aided by the small 5,000 mintage. Another APMEX coin.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
500 Francs CFA (Chad) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 39.0 mm B / UNC 5,000 NO / NO

2022 MANDALA WILDLIFE: ZEBRA (APMEX)

In many ways identical in concept to the Celtic Art series above, Mandala Wildlife is even simpler in design, with only the animal done in the mandala style, and some inscribed text occupying the reverse face. The obverse is identical to the Celtic series, except for the denomination. Strangely, despite having an identical specification, it has a denomination ten times higher. Very odd. The mintage is also double, at 10,000. We do have a profile of this series up, however.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
5,000 Francs CFA (Chad) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 39.0 mm B / UNC 10,000 NO / NO

2022 JESUS COLLECTION: LIGHT OF CHRIST (Scottsdale Mint)

The second in Scottsdale Mint’s ‘Jesus Collection’ continues the practice of every single coin sold bringing about a donation to their ‘Coins for Charity’ program, which helps a selection of good causes. Like the first issue, ‘Alpha & Omega’, the theme here is very religious, so while aimed more at the US market, we’d expect it to find eager buyers in many other places as well.

There’s a church theme this time, with Jesus depicted in a classic Blessing Hand pose, against a medieval-style stained-glass window. To the side of Jesus is the symbol Chi Rho, an early monogram for Christ. The obverse contains the Samoa Coat of Arms.

The range is very extensive, with eight formats offered, six in silver, and two in gold. The former consists of two weights, each in three finishes, while the latter has a single finish option, but maintains the choice of two weights. Donations vary, with the base BU pair donating $4 and $2 for every 1 oz and 1/2 oz sold, respectively, and the antique pair, $6 and $3. Upping the ante considerably, the boxed rhodium-plated versions donate at $40 and $20 per coin, and the gold tops it off at $40, and $10, the latter a 1/5 oz coin.

The whole selection can be purchased directly from Scottsdale.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
2 Tala (Samoa) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 39.0 mm PROOF-LIKE 15,000 NO / NO
1 Tala (Samoa) 0.999 silver 15.5 g 39.0 mm PROOF-LIKE 10,000 NO / NO
2 Tala (Samoa) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 39.0 mm ANTIQUE 5,000 NO / NO
1 Tala (Samoa) 0.999 silver 15.5 g 39.0 mm ANTIQUE 5,000 NO / NO
2 Tala (Samoa) 0.999 silver 31.1 g 39.0 mm RHODIUM 1,000 YES / YES
1 Tala (Samoa) 0.999 silver 15.5 g 39.0 mm RHODIUM 1,000 YES / YES
20 Tala (Samoa) 0.9999 gold 31.1 g 32.0 mm PROOF-LIKE 500 YES / YES
5 Tala (Samoa) 0.9999 gold 6.2 g 20.0 mm PROOF-LIKE 500 YES / YES