PAMP sticks its toes in the water with the first Hunters of the Deep shark-shaped coin

After a fairly quiet period, PAMP is back with the debut of a new series of shaped coins called Hunters of the Deep. That’s a title that immediately makes you think of sharks and they are indeed the subject of choice for the first three issues at least. Shaped coins differ somewhat from dimensional ones in that while they do embrace unusual shapes, they remain fundamentally flat, like a traditional standard relief coin.

First out of the starting gate is everyone’s favourite undersea harbinger of doom, the Great White Shark. Now this is a pretty popular subject in the numismatic world and there have been some great designs over the last few years, but this is the first time we’ve seen a coin take on the animals iconic profile. Struck in an ounce of 0.9999 silver, it’s a fairly accurate depiction of this magnificent animal, although not a hyper-realistic one. Fortunately, the reverse face is free of unnecessary distraction, and all the inscriptions, including the title and issue details, are on the obverse. An effigy of Queen Elizabeth II is also present here, as this is issued for the Solomon Islands.

Coming in a custom-shaped capsule, the coin is presented in a double gatefold CD-style booklet packed with information on the Great White Shark. Unusually, the serial number is engraved on the obverse face of the coin. The whole thing looks nicely put together and something very appealing to the nature coin collector – the PAMP name inspiring confidence in a quality product. The coin has a mintage of 2,500 pieces and should be available from 15 July at dealers worldwide. It’s actually issued by a PAMP subsidiary in the USA called Manfra, Tordella & Brookes, a company established in 1957 and the oldest precious metal dealer in the United States. It should retail around the $100 mark. The first in a three-coin series, future issues are planned for Q4/2019 (Great Hammerhead Shark), and then in Q1/2020 (Tiger Shark), although obviously that’s subject to change.

GREAT WHITE SHARK

One of the most impressive of living creatures, the Great White Shark is an apex predator found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans and has no natural predators other than the Orca (Killer Whale). Mainly known for its size, mature individuals have been recorded growing up to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length, although reports have been published of great white sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft), and 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) in weight.

The shark reaches maturity around 15 years of age and was previously believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great white sharks is far longer; now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. Great white sharks can accelerate to speeds that exceed 56 km/h (35 mph).