DUTCH CASTLES DUCATS (2020-2023) by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt We have to go back to 1586 for the birth of the Ducat coin in the Netherlands and to 1659 for its introduction in silver and today, centuries later, they’re still being produced with the same weight, composition and general design, although now for collectors. Spread around the world by the dominance of Dutch international trade, it's an icon of numismatics. The Royal Dutch Mint has long issued modern silver ducats, often in themed sets and following ‘Twelve Provinces’ comes 'Dutch Castles' These are fundamentally different [...]

9 DRAGONS (2024) by Mint of MK Although relatively new, producer MK have already made quite a splash with just their first two releases. The first was the size of a dinner plate, and the second actually was one, so we do expect ambitious design when we get news of a new one. We certainly got it with this new Nine Dragons range, and just in time for the Lunar Year of the Dragon in 2024. The series is called '9 Dragons' and takes a selection of Asian dragons of lore, each with a unique [...]

WORLD OF CRYPTIDS (2023) by Lithuanian Mint For centuries, the weird and mysterious has often been attributed to unexplainable creatures of the night. Regular coin collectors will know they’ve been a rich source of inspiration for some quite superb issues, in recent years, but most of them have been at the higher end. The Lithuanian Mint has debuted a new 12-coin series, apparently all to be issued through 2023, which will be more affordable. Called ‘World of Cryptids’, it will feature some of the world’s most iconic and mysterious creatures. The depictions, by artist Laimutė Varkalaitė, [...]

2020+ CHIBI COLLECTION by the New Zealand Mint A phenomenon that has travelled far from its Japanese homeland, Chibi (ちび or チビ) is slang for 'short' and is applied to various pop culture genres today. Chief amongst those are the small, chubby caricatures with their tiny bodies and over-sized heads – also called super-deformed (SD). A popular style in anime and manga, and also with the Funko figures that are seemingly everywhere these days, we’re actually surprised the concept has taken this long to hit the numismatic world. If anyone was going to do [...]

MOMENTS OF LOVE (2019) by Mint XXI It isn't often we see a subject like sex featured in its own coin series. Hinted at perhaps, but not front and centre (no pun intended...). If you're going to do it respectfully, then showcase the classic text on the subject, the Indian work, Kama Sutra. This is an ancient text, tracing its roots back well over 2,000 years, and sets out the ways to garner maximum pleasure from the act of procreation.Mint XXI is no stranger to nudity on its coins, offering some superb examples of ancient [...]

TRAPPED (2019-2023) by CIT Coin Invest We have a particular fondness here for coin designs that do things quite differently from whatever the trend of the time is. In 2019, the ancient mythology theme was the darling of the coin world, and while some stunning designs were released in the genre, there was a basic underlying style to most of them. In the midst of that came CIT, with 'Trapped', with a concept and execution utterly unique. The series tells the claustrophobic tale of someone confined behind a fabric sheet, but they're not alone. From [...]

PLANETS & GODS (2019-) by Mint XXI What happens when you combine two popular coin themes into one? You get something like Mint XXI's 'Planets & Gods' series of three ounce silver coins. Mixing together the popular ancient mythology and the astronomy genres, they've produced an attractive and clever range of coins linking together the planets of our Solar System, with the ancient gods that gave them their names. Launching in 2019 with Mercury, each coin features a representation of the ancient god, usually in the style of a statue of the period, overlaid on [...]

2021 OLD TOWN SQUARE EXECUTION by the Czech Mint One thing the coin producers in Eastern Europe do very well showcase their history. Much of it is largely unknown in the West, but it's a rich, deep and often tragic one that is filled with themes and events ripe for numismatic attention. One such event happened 400 years ago in the capital of what is now the Czech Republic, Prague.Starting early on a June morning in 1621, 27 Czech Lords, Knights and Burghers were executed after taking part in a failed uprising against the Habsburg [...]

2020-2022 MYTHICAL CREATURES by the Czech Mint Our love for the mythical beasts of ancient lore has never been higher. With modern mega-budget movies like the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter drawing in huge audiences, as well as the new legends that are inherent parts of the various superhero universes, the weird and fantastical remains a popular escape from the day to day life most of us lead today. There’s no substitute for the old legends, however, dreamed up in a time where belief trumped logic in the popular mindset. Tapping into [...]

2014-2022 REVOLUTIONARIES by CIT Coin Invest A fantastic subject for a coin series, the worlds revolutionary figures have, often for the wrong reasons, entered popular culture in ways that are hard to tie in with the historical people. They often have outsized reputations enhanced by tall tales and iconic photographs. Despite their ubiquity worldwide, they've appeared on hardly any modern coins over the last decade. CIT Coin Invest have helped rectify that, and have done so with some style. The new series debuted back in 2014 and was a one-ounce fine silver issue - one of [...]