2018+ RECTANGULAR DRAGONS by the Perth Mint We think it's fair to say that the selection of bullion coins available to purchase these days has never been more diverse, or of so high a quality. As well as the usual big players, a wide range of small producers are either issuing their own, or commissioning new designs from the major mints. It can be a little overwhelming and many complain, but it's all about choice, and that's rarely a bad thing. The theme of these is the ever popular Chinese dragon. Having a unique [...]

2017+ DISNEY BULLION by NZ Mint & MTB-PAMP Much like the popular Star Wars bullion coin range from the New Zealand Mint, Disney, that franchises parent company, has also seen a range of bullion issues over the last couple of years from the same mint. This showcases their own characters, rather than those bought in from Lucasfilm when it took over George Lucas's iconic science-fiction universe, or from Marvel. There's virtually no difference in the specifications between Disney and Star Wars, so collectors can quite happily interchange between the two if they so wish. A [...]

STAR WARS BULLION (2017-) by New Zealand Mint Along with the Perth Mint’s Marvel Superheroes series and the NZ Mint's own Disney coins, Star Wars has made the transition from proof commemorative to bullion with some success. Launching in 2017, the series debuted with the biggest movie villain of them all, Darth Vader. This ultra-iconic character has been a stalwart of the series. Each Vader design has followed a strict artistic style, one we call bas-relief inspired. This involves an image being formed from simpler elements, eschewing fine detail for a cruder, high contrast look. [...]

2017-2021 MARVEL COMICS by Perth Mint Launching in 2017 with a Spider-Man coin, the Perth Mint stepped away from its comfort zone of nature themed silver bullion coins with a coin taking advantage of the mass of publicity around the biggest movie franchise of all time - the Marvel Comic Universe. Despite that, this coin series has remained firmly grounded in the imagery of the comics and not the movies. Designs are instantly recognisable and very dynamic. It would have been easy to choose static poses and let the buyer's imagination do the rest, but [...]

CONGO SILVERBACK GORILLA (2015-2023) by Scottsdale Mint Since 2015, US based bullion producer Scottsdale Mint has greatly increased its selection of low-run bullion coins, particularly those struck in silver. Nature coins have always been popular in this market - witness the Perth Mint's iconic range - and the addition of lower mintage designs has diversified the market. One of the first of this new breed was the Congo Silverback Gorilla range, which debuted as a 1oz silver coin with a 50,000 mintage, the coin had a great design, and its popularity led to it growing into [...]

AMERICAN GOLD BUFFALO by the United States Mint The Buffalo was the United States Mints first 24-carat (0.9999) gold bullion coin (the American Gold Eagle is 22-carat) and was introduced for the first time on 22nd June 2006 following its authorisation by Public Law 109-145 in late 2005. It was also known as the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 as the same legislation also required the issuing of a presidential dollar series starting in 2007, along with a redesigned cent in 2009. Both the obverse and reverse sides showcase images by James Earl Fraser, [...]

AMERICAN GOLD EAGLE by the United States Mint The American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Authorized under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986 and has been produced in large numbers ever since. Offered in 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz denominations, these coins are authorized by the United States Congress and  guaranteed by the U.S. government to contain the stated amount of actual gold weight in troy ounces. By law, the gold must [...]

AUSTRALIAN KOALA by The Perth Mint Known for its ranges of semi-numismatic silver bullion coins more than anything else, the Perth Mint has been hugely successful with them, and every September when they're first revealed is hugely anticipated. Despite a growing selection of limited run coins, the mint garners huge interest with its three long-running series, the Kookaburra, the Lunar Series, and the one we're looking at here, the Koala. First introduced in 2007, the Perth Mints Australian Koala is the youngest of the 0.999 silver bullion triumvirate. Like those other series, the Koala maintains [...]

2014-2020 SHENGXIAO LUNARS by the Royal Mint One of the most eagerly awaited bullion coins for some years have been the Perth Mint's perennially popular Lunar Series. The Lunar market is exceptionally diverse and well liked so it should've come as no surprise that other mints would look to emulate that success. In 2014, one of the industries biggest players decided it wanted a slice of the pie, the Royal Mint. The mint employed British-Chinese artist Wuon-Gean Ho to design a coin range called Shengxiao Lunars. The 2014 Year of the Horse coin was the first. [...]

2013-2017 AUSTRALIAN STOCK HORSE by the Perth Mint An icon in Australia, the admired Australian Stock Horse was originally a combination of several breeds including the Thoroughbred, Arab, and Timor and Welsh Mountain ponies. Although they were initially used for stock work and exploration by the early settlers, more than 120,000 Australian Stock Horses went on to serve in the First World War. Their strength, stamina and courage earned them international recognition as the finest cavalry mounts in the world and established their place in Australian history and folklore. The Perth Mint has a history [...]