STAR WARS: An overview of the New Zealand Mint range from 2016 to date

It was in 2016 that the New Zealand Mint announced it had obtained the licence to produce coins based on the Star Wars film universe. It had already been issuing coins for Disney, and Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm meant it was only a small step from there to Star Wars. As a universe rich with characters and worlds, there are plenty of subjects for coins, and the mint has taken full advantage of that.

The offerings cover proof coins in gold and silver, bullion coins in the same metals, and a newer range of ultra-thin, but ultra-large silver foils. There’s pretty much something for every budget, ranging from $39.00 USD right up to $2,500. Many of these ranges are still in progress, and new ones are added constantly.

Spread over three pages, you can see all that is available to date, and we will keep it updated as new issues appear. The first page concentrates on the traditional style of coins (our favourite), with page two covering coloured issues, and page three the silver foils. Also, the banner ad below takes you direct to the mint’s own store, and we get a small kickback at no cost to you, so please give it a click if you’re thinking of splashing out.

2019
11/08 ADDED ATTACK OF THE CLONES PREMIUM FOIL
12/08 ADDED CLONE TROOPER AND DARTH VADER III BULLION COINS
20/08 ADDED DARTH VADER DIMENSIONAL
17/11 ADDED RISE OF SKYWALKER COLOURED COINS
17/11 ADDED REVENGE OF THE SITH PREMIUM FOIL
17/11 ADDED 2019 SEASONS GREETINGS FOIL

2020
14/01 ADDED THE FORCE AWAKENS PREMIUM FOIL
15/01 ADDED GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE SERIES
15/01 ADDED GOLD VEHICLE SERIES
26/02 ADDED LANDO CALRISSIAN TO CLASSIC STAR WARS
12/03 ADDED STORMTROOPER DIMENSIONAL
21/03 ADDED CLONE TROOPER TO GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE
10/04 ADDED BOBA FETT TO BULLION RANGE
11/04 ADDED EPISODE IV POSTER COIN
18/04 ADDED RISE OF SKYWALKER POSTER COIN
19/04 ADDED THE LAST JEDI PREMIUM FOIL
01/05 ADDED EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 40TH ANNIVERSARY RANGE
14/05: ADDED DEATHTROOPER TO GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE
12/07: ADDED DEATH STAR TO STAR WARS CLASSIC
13/07: ADDED BOBA FETT HELMET
10/08: ADDED MANDALORIAN MYTHOSAUR BULLION
11/08: ADDED GOLD X-WING & TIE FIGHTER
11/08: ADDED PRAETORIANS TO GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE
12/08: ADDED RISE OF SKYWALKER PREMIUM FOIL
26/08: ADDED CHIBI SECTION WITH DARTH VADER
02/10: ADDED 2020 VADER BULLION
02/10 ADDED MISSING FORCE AWAKENS COLOURED COIN TRIO
02/10: ADDED CHIBI CHEWBACCA
30/10: ADDED R2-D2 CHIBI AND T-47 SNOWSPEEDER GOLD
18/12: ADDED TIE ADVANCED GOLD

2021
01/01: ADDED LATEST CHIBI ISSUES
02/01: ADDED DIMENSIONAL 1KG DEATH STAR
01/02: ADDED SEASONS GREETINGS 2020 COIN
04/02: ADDED LUKE SKYWALKER CHIBI
05/02: ADDED THE MANDALORIAN
20/02: ADDED KNIGHTS OF REN
09/03: ADDED FALCON BULLION AND CARA DUNE
09/04: ADDED EXECUTION TROOPER TO GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE
11/04 ADDED THE CHILD AND PRINCESS LEIA CHIBI COINS
12/04: ADDED BESKAR STEEL BULLION BARS
26/04: ADDED HAN SOLO CHIBI
27/04: ADDED IG-11 TO MANDALORIAN
28/04: ADDED CLONE TROOPER HELMET
02/05: ADDED COLOURED STORMTROOPER HELMET
13/05: ADDED ANAKIN SKYWALKER CLASSIC
14/05: ADDED THE CHILD TO MANDALORIAN SERIES
20/06: ADDED OBI-WAN KENOBI CHIBI
23/06: ADDED GALACTIC EMPIRE BULLION
16/07: ADDED SITH TROOPER TO GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE
13/09: ADDED THE MANDALORIAN CHIBI COIN
20/09: ADDED THE MANDALORIAN BULLION COIN
05/10: ADDED THE MANDALORIAN CLASSIC SERIES
06/10: ADDED STAR WARS SEASONS GREETINGS AND TIDIED UP XMAS COINS
07/10: ADDED FACES OF THE EMPIRE SERIES
22/11: ADDED SCOUT TROOPER FACES & BABY YODA BULLION

2022
20/01: ADDED SNOWTROOPER AND DEATH TROOPER TO FACES OF THE EMPIRE
21/01: ADDED BOBA FETTS STARFIGHTER, GROGU SHAPED, THREE CHIBI COINS
23/02: ADDED AHSOKA TANO TO MANDALORIAN CLASSIC, ADDED SCARIF TROOPER TO FACES OF THE EMPIRE
11/03: ADDED PADME AMIDALA CHIBI, ADDED AT-AT WALKER TO NEW STAR WARS HARDWARE RANGE
06/04: ADDED BESKAR BULLION & HOVERTANK PILOT
19/04: ADDED CHIBI YODA; PATROL TROOPER TO FACES OF EMPIRE
07/05: ADDED REBEL BULLION, FENNEC SHAND CHIBI, BOBA FETT COLOURED HELMET
08/05: COMPLETE MODERNISED REFRESH OF LAYOUT
17/05: ADDED FACES CLONE TROOPER
18/05: ADDED SANDCRAWLER TO VEHICLES
29:06: ADDED CHIBI DARTH MAUL, BO-KATAN KRYZE TO MANDALORIAN CLASSIC, FACES CLONE TROOPER II
18/07: ADDED 5 OZ GOLD DEATH STAR, ADDED 1-KILO ANEW HOPE, ADDED FACES OF THE FIRST ORDER SERIES, ADDED IG-11 BULLION
22/07: ADDED WRECKER TO BAD BATCH
18/08: ADDED CHIBI OBI-WAN AND KRRSANTAN, ADDED FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER
26/08: ADDED AT-ST WALKER, MOVED BOBA FETTS STARFIGHTER TO MANDALORIAN SERIES, ADDED 2022 SEASONS GREETINGS
12/10: ADDED BATTLE SCENES SERIES, ADDED CAD BANE TO BOBA FETT CHIBI
21/10: ADDED BATTLE SCENES SCARIF, ADDED MANDALORIAN BOBA FETT
09/11: ADDED OBI-WAN AND ANDOR CHIBI. ADDED COINS TO BATTLE SCENES, FACES OF THE FIRST ORDER SERIES, SOME COLUMN LAYOUT CHANGES
24/11: ADDED FLAMETROOPER TO FACES OF FIRST ORDER, ADDED DARTH VADER V AND GROGU II TO BULLION

2023
13/01: ADDED PALPATINE CHIBI, ADDED ROTJ 40TH POSTER
04/02: ADDED ROTJ 40TH ANNIVERSARY GOLD
19/04: ADDED MANDALORAIN COMIC RANGE, ADDED CHIBIS, AADDED HAN SOLO CARBONITE RANGE,
20/04: ADDED ROTJ 40TH SILVER, ADDED IMPERIAL DEATH STAR RANGE, ADDED JEDI ORDER BU
20/06: ADDED NEW CHIBI, ADDED VESSEL SHAPED, ADDED 3OZ CHARACTER ISSUES
18/07: ADDED MILLENNIUM FALCON SHAPED, ADDED CHIBI LANDO
13/08: BIG UPDATE WITH CHIBI, MINT TRADING COINS, MANDALORIAN HELMETS, AND MUCH MORE. SOME FORMATTING CHANGES
28/08: ADDED SNOWSPEEDER SHAPED, ADDED THE ARMORER HELMET
28/09: ADDED MORE CHIBI, BO-KATAN STARFIGHTER, BO-KATAN HELMET, HAN SOLO 3 OZ
11/10: ADDED SEASONS GREETINGS 2023, ADDED MORE CHIBI; STARTED CLEAN-UP
17/10: GUIDE REVAMP COMPLETED
13/11 ADDED 5OZ POSTER COINS; ADDED SHAPED EMBLEM MYTHOSAURS
20/11: ADDED NEW CHIBI, ADDED GROGU III BULLION

2024:
26/03: LOTS OF ADDITIONS TO MULTIPLE SERIES
11/05: ADDED EPISODE VII 5OZ POSTER
22/05: ADDED EPISODE VIII 5OZ, 2024 BESKAR BAR BULLION, X34 LANDSPEEDER
26/07: ADDED EPISODE 9 POSTER 5OZ
17/08: ADDED ELONGATED 3OZ POSTER SERIES, VARIOUS SMALL ADDITIONS AND TWEAKS
15/10: ADDED GROGU IV BULLION
17/10: ADDED 2024 SEASONS GREETINGS, 3oz CHEWBACCA, ESB TALL MONTAGE

TABLE OF SUBSETS

STAR WARS CLASSIC

2016 DARTH VADER

2016 HAN SOLO

2016 YODA

2016 R2-D2

2016 PRINCESS LEIA

2017 OBI-WAN KENOBI

2017 LUKE SKYWALKER

2017 CHEWBACCA

2017 C-3PO

2017 BOBA FETT

2018 JABBA THE HUTT

2018 DARTH MAUL

2018 EMPEROR PALPATINE

2019 IMPERIAL STORMTROOPERS

2020 LANDO CALRISSIAN

2020 DEATH STAR

2021 ANAKIN SKYWALKER

COMPARATIVE COIN SIZES

Classic Star Wars is a series of mainly character coins, are cleanly struck and attractive in hand. The 1oz silver variant at 40 mm in diameter is the best at showing off the art. The 1oz gold coin is smaller at 32 mm. A ¼ oz gold version is just 22 mm in diameter, quite a bit smaller. Indeed, in some cases, the mint chose to do a close up of the art on the larger coins. You can see that on the Jabba, Yoda, Stormtrooper and Anakin Skywalker coins.

Beautiful coins and highly recommended. The first issue, Darth Vader, was also made available as a silver coin of one-kilogram in weight. Just 1,977 of these were struck, and no other design has appeared at this 100 mm diameter size.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 40 mm Proof 10,000 YES / YES
$25 NZD 7.78g of 0.9999 gold 22 mm Proof 1,000 YES / YES
$250 NZD 31.1g of 0.9999 gold 32 mm Proof 500 YES / YES

THE MANDALORIAN CLASSIC

2021 THE MANDALORIAN

2021 THE MANDALORIAN

2021 GROGU

2021 GROGU

2022 AHSOKA TANO

2022 AHSOKA TANO

2022 BO-KATAN KRYZE

2022 BO-KATAN KRYZE

2022 BOBA FETT

2022 BOBA FETT

2022 BOBA FETT’S STARFIGHTER

Basically the same specification and concept as the older Classic Star Wars, but with lower mintages.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 40 mm Proof 5,000 YES / YES
$25 NZD 7.78g of 0.9999 gold 22 mm Proof 500 YES / YES
$250 NZD 31.1g of 0.9999 gold 32 mm Proof 250 YES / YES

STAR WARS VEHICLES

2022 AT-AT WALKER

2022 SANDCRAWLER

2022 AT-ST WALKER

PACKAGING

A loose mix of coins, it started out with a simple coloured one-ounce coin for the silver range, but the AT-AT added a huge (for the NZ Mint) five-ounce coloured coin, with the one-ounce reverting to being cleanly struck.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 40 mm Proof 2,000 YES / YES
$10 NZD 155.5g of 0.999 silver 65 mm Proof/colour 300 YES / YES
$25 NZD 7.78g of 0.9999 gold 22 mm Proof 150 YES / YES

STAR WARS ULTRA HIGH RELIEF

2017 DARTH VADER

2017 HAN SOLO

2017 YODA

2018 STORMTROOPER

2018 DEATH STAR

2019 MILLENNIUM FALCON

2022 DEATH STAR GOLD 5 oz

You could consider this the flagship range of Star Wars coins, these take the latest trend of ultra high-relief strikes and applies it to a limited range of impressive designs encompassing both characters and vehicles. Packaging is superb – stylish and of a high quality – and the finished coins are beautifully done. At two ounces in weight, these are obviously pricier than the other silver issues, but well worth it.

Of the six coins issued to date, only the first – Darth Vader – employs colour highlighting. The Han Solo issue was sadly a copy of the Classic design, although obviously better, but the others are unique to the series. The Death Star coin is a little unadventurous, but well struck, and currently the only coin featuring the iconic weapon.

German dealer EMK, a long-time collaborator with the NZ Mint, has debuted a 5 oz gold version of the Death Star coin, with a mintage of just 25, and at the time of writing, a €16,000 price tag.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$5 NZD 62.2g of 0.999 silver 40 mm Proof, U.H.R. 5,000 YES / YES
$500 NZD 155.5g of 0.9999 gold 65 mm Proof, U.H.R. 25 YES / YES

HAN SOLO IN CARBONITE

2022 ONE & THREE OUNCE

2022 TEN OUNCE

One of the most beloved characters, Han Solo, is depicted in one of his most famous forms, encased in Carbonite. A terrific design, it’s available in 1, 3 and 10 ounce forms.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 22.28 x 60.00 mm Antique 5,000 YES / YES
$10 NZD 93.3g of 0.999 silver 29.70 x 80.00 mm Antique 5,000 YES / YES
$20 NZD 311.0g of 0.999 silver 44.55 x 120.00 mm Antique 1,000 YES / YES

IMPERIAL DEATH STARS

2022 DEATH STAR I

2022 DEATH STAR II

SIDE BY SIDE

The original Death Star returns here in three-ounce form, and disappointingly keeps the pronounced rim of the smaller, earlier version. The second Death Star is also depicted in its incomplete, “but fully operational” form, and without that border.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$10 NZD 93.3g of 0.999 silver 60.00 mm Proof 3,000 YES / YES
$10 NZD 93.3g of 0.999 silver max 60.00 mm Proof 3,000 YES / YES

STAR WARS GOLD VESSELS

2020 IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER

2020 MILLENNIUM FALCON

2020 X-WING STARFIGHTER

2020 TIE/LN FIGHTER

2020 T-47 SNOWSPEEDER

2020 TIE ADVANCED X1

The rarest of the Star Wars series, each of these vehicle designs is struck in an ounce of 0.9999 gold and has a mintage of just 50 pieces. Not the most intricate or attractive designs, the appeal of these lies in their scarcity.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$250 NZD 31.1g of 0.9999 gold 32 mm Proof 50 YES / YES

RETURN OF THE JEDI 40TH ANNIVERSARY

2023 QUARTER-OUNCE

2023 ONE-OUNCE

2023 THREE-OUNCE

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Episode VI. Quite a high-end selection.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$25 NZD 7.78g of 0.9999 gold 22 mm Proof 250 YES / YES
$250 NZD 31.1g of 0.9999 gold 32 mm Proof 100 YES / YES
$10 NZD 93.3g of 0.999 silver 55 mm Proof 1,983 YES / YES

STAR WARS A NEW HOPE 1-KILOGRAM

An EMK exclusive, this huge coin, at least for the Star Wars coin genre, reproduces the movie poster for the first movie, ‘A New Hope’ on a 100 mm diameter coin.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$100 NZD 1,000g of 0.999 silver 100.0 mm Proof, colour 100 YES / YES

STAR WARS VESSEL SHAPED

2021 MILLENNIUM FALCON (1oz) A

2022 MILLENNIUM FALCON (3oz) B

2023 N-1 STARFIGHTER (1oz) C

2023 N-1 STARFIGHTER (3oz) D

2023 SNOWSPEEDER (1oz) C

2023 SNOWSPEEDER (3oz) D

2023 GAUNTLET STARFIGHTER (1oz) C

2023 GAUNTLET STARFIGHTER (3oz) D

2024 X34 LANDSPEEDER (1oz) C

2024 X34 LANDSPEEDER (3oz) D

A new ship-shaped coin marks out a foray into the hit show The Mandalorian, with Din Djarin’s new N-1 Starfighter, a vessel made famous in greater numbers in the prequel trilogy of Star Wars movies. These aren’t fully dimensional coins, but a simpler high-relief on a shaped outline, but that’s no bad thing, especially in cost terms.

MODEL DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
A $2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 26.7 x 36.0 mm Proof 5,000 YES / YES
B $5 NZD 93.3g of 0.999 silver 45.0 x 60.0 mm Proof 3,000 YES / YES
C $2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver Varies Antique 3,000 YES / YES
D $10 NZD 93.3g of 0.999 silver Varies Antique 1,000 YES / YES

STAR WARS EMBLEM SHAPED

2023 MYTHOSAUR (2oz) A

2023 MYTHOSAUR (5oz) B

The ship-shaped coin concept has moved to the emblems in the Star Wars Universe, starting with the Mythosaur from The Mandalorian television series. Two sizes are available, but the design is fundamentally the same.

MODEL DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
A $5 NZD 62.2g of 0.999 silver 40.0 x 52.0 mm Antique 1,999 YES / YES
B $2 NZD 155.5g of 0.999 silver 50.0 x 65.0 mm Antique 499 YES / YES

STAR WARS DIMENSIONAL HELMETS

2019 DARTH VADER

2019 DARTH VADER COLOURED

2020 STORMTROOPER

2020 STORMTROOPER COLOURED

2020 BOBA FETT

2020 BOBA FETT COLOURED

2021 CLONE TROOPER

Dimensional. It seems the NZ Mint is, through German dealer EMK, issuing coloured versions of the helmets with a very limited mintage of 250 pieces. At the time of writing, the first three coins have been given the treatment.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$5 NZD 62.2g of 0.999 silver Varies. Approx 49 x 41 mm Proof, U.H.R. 5,000 YES / YES

STAR WARS BULLION

2017 DARTH VADER I

2018 STORMTROOPER

2018 DARTH VADER II

2019 CLONE TROOPER

2019 DARTH VADER III

2020 BOBA FETT

2020 MYTHOSAUR

2021 DARTH VADER IV

2021 MILLENNIUM FALCON

2021 GALACTIC EMPIRE

2021 THE MANDALORIAN

2021 BABY GROGU

2022 REBEL ALLIANCE

2022 IG-11

2022 DARTH V

2022 GROGU II

2023 JEDI ORDER CREST

2023 GROGU III

2024 GROGU IV

Covering all their bases, the New Zealand Mint joined the growing bullion coin market with a Darth Vader issue back in 2017. As bullion coins, the quality of strike is obviously less than that of the proof coins, but still of a great quality regardless. Two types of each design on offer, both of an ounce in weight – gold and silver. Note the Mandalorian Mythosaur issue has no effigy on the back, but rather the national coat of arms of Niue instead.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 40 mm B/UNC 25,000 – 250,000 NO / NO
$250 NZD 31.1g of 0.9999 gold 32 mm B/UNC 250 – 25,000 NO / NO

STAR WARS BESKAR BAR BULLION

2021 BESKAR BAR

2022 BESKAR BAR

2023 BESKAR BAR

2024 BESKAR BAR

An unchanging annual design, this issue has no effigy on the back, but rather the national coat of arms of Niue instead, in 1 oz and 10 oz forms.

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
$2 NZD 31.1g of 0.999 silver 51.0 x 22.95 mm Antique 50,000 NO / NO
$20 NZD 311.0g of 0.999 silver 110.0 x 49.5 mm Antique 1,000–3,000 NO / NO

PAGE 2: COLOURED COINS