SHAPES OF WILDLIFE (2018-2020) by MDM Wholesale It was CIT Coin Invest that pioneered the use of laser-cutting apertures in coins with the quite superb award-winning Mongolian Nature coin back in 2013. It's surprising that the technique hasn't been employed on a wider basis, although we understand that doing it well is harder than it looks. The NZ Post had a Kiwi issue three years ago, and that was struck/cut by BH Mayer - the same mint responsible for bringing the CIT productions to reality. We first saw images of the debut African series when [...]

2016-2018 FAUNA IN CULTURAL MONUMENTS OF UKRAINE by the National Bank of Ukraine Ukraine has a great recent history of precious metal numismatics, having some fine designs in its repertoire. Along with the increasingly popular Archangel Michael bullion coin, the National Bank of Ukraine also issues several series of coins and it's one of the best ones we're looking at here. Fauna in Cultural Monuments of Ukraine, apart from an epic name, is an intriguing series that first debuted in late 2016 with the simultaneous release of three coins. Showcasing depictions of animals in art [...]

2018 FANTASTIC WORLDS OF JULES VERNE by Czech Mint The French novelist Jules Verne (8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) is the second-most translated author of the last 50 years, just behind Agatha Christie and it's easy to see why. The sense of spectacle and wonder weaved in his novels has near universal appeal - appearing in countless adaptations from the early age of moving pictures through to the 21st century. As a literary world full of wonder, Jules Vernes work is a perfect subject for a coin series. The Czech Mint launched a [...]

2007-2019 WILDLIFE PROTECTION by Coin Invest Trust As well as the Tiffany Art series, another range of coins from Liechtenstein-based producer Coin Invest Trust (CIT) has accumulated awards and plaudits over its lifetime - Wildlife Protection. There are actually quite a few similarities between the two flagship ranges. Both are high-relief, both are antique-finished, and both have an insert set within them. With a first debut back in 2007, some three years after Tiffany first appeared, it wasn't long before the awards starting coming in, the first coin winning the Krause Coin of the Year [...]

TWELVE PROVINCES DUCATS (2015-2019) 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 is, like the British Sovereign, an icon of numismatics. The Royal Dutch Mint has long issued modern silver ducats, often in themed sets and this one is called ‘Twelve [...]

2018 POTTERY OF THE WORLD by the Mint of Poland Back in the latter half of 2015, the Mint of Poland debuted a very unusual coin targeted at lovers of porcelain. As its base it took one of the mints regular 17.5 gram proof silver coins and attached to its front a tiny miniature replica of the extraordinarily expensive Qianlong Vase. Specially fired by a porcelain factory based in Cmielow, Poland, it was certainly something different and went on to win an award and spawn a sequel the following year. Quite a niche item, we didn't expect [...]

2018 ADVENTURES OF ODYSSEUS by MDM Deutsche Munze After the nine-coin Norse Gods series released in 2016 and the excellent Roman Gladiators series in 2017, MDM have launched a new ten-coin set for 2018 with the similar setting of the classical ancient world. Instead of featuring gods or types of gladiator, this set follows the story of the legendary Greek hero, Odysseus. His exploits are depicted over the course of the set, each one showing one of the tales laid out by writers of the day. Hugely popular in the Greek world, he was generally [...]

2017-2018 BATTLES THAT CHANGED HISTORY by the New Zealand Mint Completely inspired by the earlier 2016 debuting series called Warriors of History, this latest range of coins from the New Zealand Mint has shifted sideways a little by portraying the battles that have made important changes to the directions of world history, often in hindsight even if not at the time, rather than the massed combatants that fought them. It's a fine idea for a companion series to the popular Warriors coins and called simply Battles That Changed History. Each one-ounce silver coin is again, [...]

2011-2018 SACRED ART by Numiscollect There have been many series of coins inspired by the Tiffany Art range from Liechtenstein producer, Coin-Invest Trust (CIT), but few reach the seven coin mark and this series from Dutch company, Numiscollect has not only accomplished that, but shows no signs of stopping. Kicking off with a three coin per year release schedule in 2011 that continued through 2012, the series then moved to a single-coin per year. Strangely, the 2013 dated piece wasn't released until June 2014, but the series is back on track with the 2015 dated [...]

Royal Mint releases 26 new coins to mark the new 10p coin with an A to Z of Britain It seems the Royal Mint has decided that a five-coin range isn't enough and has gone full blast with a new 26-coin series called The A-Z of Britain. Similar in concept to the Royal Australian Mints A-Z nature set, all coins were released simultaneously, but could be bought individually. Each depicts an aspect of British life, or at least a popularised romantic view of it. All are struck in 6.5 grams of sterling 0.925 silver and [...]