April, 2021
HAN SOLO & MICKEY MOUSE CHIBI COINS (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-04-13T14:24:02+01:00April 13th, 2021|
HAN SOLO & MICKEY MOUSE CHIBI COINS (2021 NZ Mint)
The next big release of the Chibi series is upon us, and Han Solo will no doubt join his fellow Star Wars alumni in being bought up in very short order. This franchise has turned out to be easily the most popular of the various Chibi offerings and they all regularly sell out quickly.
A whole new series has joined the Chibi fold. Micjey and Friends is the first showing of classic Disney characters, although they have appeared in several other coin issues over the last few years, in gold and silver. The ‘friends’ in the title would suggest we will at least see Minnie Mouse, Donald & Daisy Duck, and Pluto and Goofy, although the near century old pantheon has countless other possibilities. Chibi suits them well on this evidence, although it is less effective given the nature of the subject matter.
These have been added to our newly revised Coin Series Profile to the Chibi range, so its easier to see each sub-series in isolation, and the teasers for the next upcoming releases as well. Check it out at the link below.
LINKS: AgAuNEWS PROFILE OF THE CHIBI SERIES
AUSTRALIAN WOMBAT SILVER BULLION COIN (2021 Perth Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-04-12T12:19:42+01:00April 12th, 2021|
AUSTRALIAN WOMBAT SILVER BULLION COIN (2021 Perth Mint)
Perennial bullion coin collector favourite, the Perth Mint, has, to put it mildly, a rather large and varied selection of nature themed offering in this market. It helps that their native land, Australia, is awash with an equally varied selection of distinctive animals, many of which exist nowhere else on Earth. The latest to join their limited mintage range features one such creature, the Wombat.
A neat design, which takes some DNA from the relatively recent Quokka coin and the long-running Koala range, the front on view is clean, employing the Perth Mint’s classic reverse-proof type finish. Just a single format makes up the release, but it’s the ultra popular one-ounce fine silver one, so no complaints there. The mintage of 25,000 pieces is also pretty typical. This is the first in a new series, and available from today at dealers around the world, particularly from LPM that holds exclusive distribution rights for Asia and North America.
PI DAY SILVER BULLION (2021 APMEX)
Mik Woodgate2021-04-08T23:50:56+01:00April 8th, 2021|
PI DAY SILVER BULLION (2021 APMEX)
March 14th was Pi Day. If you’re like me and a little disappointed it didn’t involve beef and a huge portion of chips, you will at least be consoled that a coin for the actual mathematical Pi day is better looking than a minced cow themed one would be. Following last years coin which featured a trio of famous faces in the Pi world (is that an oxymoron…?), the 2021 coin concentrates on Archimedes, who would definitely struggle to eat a pie with that beard..
The design follows the style set out last year and is also reminiscent of the Icons of Innovation coin starring Galileo, of Bohemian Rhapsody fame. We like it, as, joking aside, it is a subject that should be given the proper respect and the coin, with its numbers in the background field, is on point for that. We particularly like the denomination, which is set at an appropriate, but very unusual, $3.14 of the Solomon Islands kind.
It’s a one-ounce silver coin, struck to a bullion finish and with a very small mintage of just 5,000 pieces. Available now from the distributor APMEX and a few select others.
JURASSIC PARK 5oz SILVER & 1oz GOLD (2021 LPM)
Mik Woodgate2021-04-07T18:47:00+01:00April 7th, 2021|
JURASSIC PARK 5oz SILVER & 1oz GOLD (2021 LPM)
LPM are expanding their range of Jurassic Park coins with some new formats employing the T-Rex design that appeared last year in one ounce silver bullion form. This time the coins are struck to a ‘Premium Uncirculated’ finish for that extra bit of quality, and the new pair up the ante with regards to precious metal content.
The five ounce silver coin should be a great looking piece, showing off the official Jurassic Park logo, a skeletal Tyrannosaurus Rex, to fine effect. The mintage of the coin is capped at 500 pieces. Also limited, but in this case to just 100 pieces, is the one ounce gold version. Both versions have lost the Jurassic Park text, to be replaced by one denoting the coins composition. A neat coin with a tight mintage, this is one fans will like, we’re sure. Available to order shortly from LPM.
March, 2021
ZORRO (2021 Mint of Poland)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-30T13:12:22+01:00March 30th, 2021|
ZORRO (2021 Mint of Poland)
The last of our four-coin roundup of new Mint of Poland releases is a strange one. Zorro was created by an American pulp author in 1919 and has had a fairly innocuous and varied history in the world of TV and movies since then. At times camp and heroic, the character is well known, but hardly a giant of popular culture, especially over the last twenty years. Anyway, on to the coin.
It’s fair to say the artist has done a great job encapsulating the character. The sombrero hat, cape and rapier sword that are iconic to Zorro are all present and correct, and he’s depicted on Tornado, his horse, rearing up. The legendary ‘Z’, the symbol of Zorro that he marked with his sword, is picked out in the background with gilding, in contrast to the antique finish used elsewhere. Despite the unusual subject matter, it’s actually a fine tribute.
Struck in two ounces of fine silver to a high-relief, it has a mintage of 500 pieces and comes boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity. It’s a Niue issue, so the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II sits on the obverse, sadly not customised for the theme, but a standard job. If you’re a Zorro fan, and we’re sure you’re out there, this looks a great homage to a character now over a century old. Maybe the Lone Ranger is next! Available to order now.
LINKS: MINT OF POLAND
BUSHIDO (2021 Mint of Poland)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-29T11:52:48+01:00March 29th, 2021|
BUSHIDO (2021 Mint of Poland)
The way of the warrior is the popular interpretation of Bushido, but the reality is far more nuanced than that. Birthed in Neo-Confucianism during the Edo period in Japan (1603–1868), it was meant to temper the more aggressive characteristic of the Samurai class with a grounding in wisdom and serenity. It can trace its roots back to the 8th century, but was only formalised by the Tokugawa shogunates of the Edo period.
This new two-ounce silver coin from the Mint of Poland is meant to encapsulate the nature of Samurai and Bushido, using a pair of tigers in a Yin-Yang inspired setting. One of them, the larger of the two, is gilded, with the rest of the coin antique-finished. Being completely honest, I’m not sure what the message is here. It seems confused, and the background setting is unfocused and less than optimally laid out. The tigers are well done anatomically, but the design as a whole doesn’t work for me. You may disagree of course, and we’re confident the mint will produce a nice strike.
Presented in a latex ‘floating’ frame again, all in a themed sleeve, there’s little to criticise on the end product outside of the highly subjective aesthetics, which you may love. A miss for me, however. Available now, it has a mintage of 500 pieces.
LINKS: MINT OF POLAND
PREHISTORIC LIFE 04: WOOLLY MAMMOTH SILVER BULLION (2021 Emporium Hamburg)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-25T00:07:15+00:00March 24th, 2021|
PREHISTORIC LIFE: MAMENCHISAURUS BULLION (2020)
The latest in Emprium Hamburgs Prehistoric Life silver bullion coin series is now available, and jumps forward in time to the Woolly Mammoth. It follows previous issues, all three of them, in depicting the animal in its natural habitat and appears to do a good job of it. As before, a mintage of just 10,000 pieces means this looks like a good buy if premiums are reasonable.
There’s also a coloured version with a 2,000 mintage and a similar number of half-gram minigolds, all carrying fundamentally the same art. All are available to buy now. This is a particularly quick look at the coin as we’ve spent much of the date collating and writing a Bullion Coin Profile to the whole series to date, which you can access at the link below. Enjoy.
LINKS: OUR NEW BULLION COIN PROFILE
AQUAMAN AND SAMWELL GAMGEE CHIBI (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-23T21:20:21+00:00March 23rd, 2021|
AQUAMAN AND SAMWELL GAMGEE CHIBI (2021 NZ Mint)
Two more Chibi coins out today from the New Zealand Mint, one for the well established DC Comics range, and one for the new Lord of the Rings range. These one ounce silver coins have been hugely popular since they came out last year, and even though this pair are the 26th and 27th to be released in the series to date, that shows no signs of abating. The mint continues to issue four of these per month and it looks like they have plans to expand them into Disney characters in April.
These two look good, Aquaman following the comic look quite closely and Samwise being pretty recognisable from the movies. We’d imagine that Lord of the Rings will gradually take over from Harry Potter as that franchise runs out of characters. Decent entrants into the smash hit Chibi range, they keep the 2,000 mintage and neat packaging of the earlier entrants.
I’ve just revamped our comprehensive Coin Series Profile to the Chibi range, so its easier to see each sub-series in isolation, it’s now fully up to date, and you can see the teasers for the next few upcoming releases as well. Check it out at the link below.
LINKS: AgAuNEWS PROFILE OF THE CHIBI SERIES
EMPEROR CONSTANTINE 3 gram gold (2021 IPZS)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-17T14:46:20+00:00March 17th, 2021|
EMPEROR CONSTANTINE 3 gram gold (2021 IPZS)
Constantine I lived from 272-337 CE and was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. One of the four emperors of the Tetrarchy, he emerged victorious in the civil war to become sole ruler. He enacted many reforms to strengthen the Empire, including introducing the gold solidus coin that continued in use for over a millennium. One of the emperors with the most potent legacy of all, his capital at Constantinople endured as a Christian stronghold until the mid-15th century.
The release is one of IPZS’s ‘Roman Emperor’ series of three-gram 0.900 gold coins, with each side of the coin carrying a unique design. The obverse in this case features a reproduction of the head of a giant statue named ‘Colossus of Constantine’. Currently located in the Palazzo dei Conservatori, seat of the Musei Capitolini, it originally stood in the west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius near the Forum Romanum in Rome. The seated figure stood an impressive 12 metres tall, with even the head exceeding 2.5 metres, although most is now missing.
The reverse face depicts ‘Winged Victory’ a detail taken from the Arch of Constantin in Rome dedicated to this Roman Emperor to celebrate his victory over Massenzio in the Battle of Ponte Milvio. The Arch still stands in Rome today. It’s a decent showcasing of this pivotal emperor, although, as we said last time, the diameter of under 14 mm is a little disappointing for a three-gram coin. The €10 denominated piece designed by Uliana Pernazza has a mintage of 1,200 pieces and a pricetag of €200. Available from 25th April.
LINKS: PREVIOUS COIN IN THE SERIES
MYTHICAL BEASTS: HYDRA (2021 Czech Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-16T12:25:24+00:00March 16th, 2021|
MYTHICAL BEASTS: HYDRA (2021 Czech Mint)
The first of the 2021 issues in the Czech Mints ‘Mythical Beasts’ series has now launched, and following such fantastical creatures as the Griffin and the Dragon, comes the multi-headed Hydra. These are attractive and competitively priced issues in a genre that normally attracts a hefty premium with high-end design and specs. The series has a consistent style, incorporating a Hellenic-style border pattern, with the beast depicted in full in the centre, sans background detail.
Two versions carrying the same design are on offer. A one ounce silver variant with a 1,000 mintage, and a tenth-ounce gold variant with a 500 mintage are both well chosen and the coins look great in hand. Packaging has changed for 2021, with the small Austrian Mint-style cardboard boxes giving way to more substantial snapper boxes with a themed sleeve. Available now, further releases this year will be the Unicorn (April), Cerberus (July), and Centaur (October). We have a full profile of the series up at the link below.
LINKS: PREVIOUS COINS IN THE SERIES
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: SALLY (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-15T21:59:08+00:00March 15th, 2021|
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: SALLY (2021 NZ Mint)
It was good to see the striking and inventine world of Tim burton’s ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ get some exposure in the coin world when the New Zealand Mint released Jack Skellington last month, so it’s great to see the amazing visual style of the movie back with ‘Sally’ . Sally is Jack Skellington’s love interest and the rag doll is beautifully depicted on this new coin.
Antique finished with a coloured depiction of Sallty, the mint has yet again done a fantastic job with the look of this one-ounce silver coin. It’s also perfectly presented in a windowed version of the book-style packaging that we love here. With a mintage of 3,000 pieces and a $109.00 USD pricetag, it’s one for fans of the iconic movie.
LINKS: FIRST COIN IN THE SERIES – JACK SKELLINGTON
MISTER STRONG & LITTLE MISS GIGGLES (2021 Royal Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-15T00:25:10+00:00March 15th, 2021|
MISTER STRONG & LITTLE MISS GIGGLES (2021 Royal Mint)
A quick heads up that the second of the Royal Mint’s new Mr Men coin series is available today. Depicting Mister Strong and Little Miss Giggles, it’s the second of three coins in the series launched as a celebration of fifty years since the first book was published in 1971. These are simple books with simple artwork, and the coins reflect that, having been designed by creator Roger Hargreaves son, Adam.
There are six variants on offer. Uncoloured gold coins in ¼-oz and 1-oz weights, a coloured 1-oz silver coin, an uncoloured ½-oz silver coin, and a couple of base metal coins make up the range. You can read more about the whole launch in our earlier article linked below.
LINKS: LAUNCH ARTICLE FOR THE SERIES
PEGASUS FROSTED BULLION (2021 Pobjoy Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-09T17:15:23+00:00March 9th, 2021|
PEGASUS FROSTED BULLION (2021 Pobjoy Mint)
Pobjoy Mint’s pretty ‘Pegasus’ bullion coin returns for its fifth annual release with the design it has carried since 2018. The debut coin had a completely different look, but that only lasted for the 2017 issue year, the mint now going with this design annually. Depicting Pegasus rearing up with his wings outstretched, it will be familiar to collectors by now.
Like the other bullion coins we’ve had a quick look at today, there are 0.999 silver and 0.999 gold one-ounce variants on offer. The former has a 10,000 mintage limit, while the former tops out at just 100 pieces. Collectors of limited mintage gold bullion coins have never had it so good, with the selection of tiny mintage designs having never been higher. Another APMEX exclusive release, it’s available to order now.
CELESTIAL ANIMALS – BLACK TURTLE (2021 APMEX)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-09T14:31:54+00:00March 9th, 2021|
CELESTIAL ANIMALS - BLACK TURTLE (2021 APMEX)
APMEX are rounding out their five-issue bullion coin series, ‘Celestial Animals’ with the release of ‘The Black Turtle’ in gold and silver. The series has depicted each of the five major Feng Shui animals, the dragon, phoenix, snake and tiger, and the turtle brings it to a natural conclusion. The coin, like its predecessors, has an ornate border, and a simple, stylised image of the fantastical creature. Certainly something a little different.
Produced by the New Zealand Mint for Niue, there are two one-ounce variants on offer. The 0.999 silver coin has a mintage of just 10,000 pieces, while the 0.9999 gold coin tops out at a tiny 100 units, each supplied in a box with a Certificate of Authenticity. Available to order now, you can pick it up from APMEX, or from other dealers like LPM and European Mint.
LINKS: APMEX CELESTIAL ANIMALS
MILLENNIUM FALCON BULLION (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-09T12:17:17+00:00March 9th, 2021|
MILLENNIUM FALCON BULLION (2021 NZ Mint)
Now in its fifth year, the New Zealand Mint’s Star Wars themed bullion coin series has been a popular addition to the ever expanding market with a variety of designs featuring both equipment and characters. The latest is the ninth in the series to date and goes back to the original trilogy for a look at the famous Millennium Falcon.
Shown in flight, with the Rebel Alliance logo in the background, it’s a good design and should be a popular one. The usual two one-ounce formats are available again. A 0.999 silver coin has a mintage of 100,000 pieces, while the 0.9999 gold coin is capped at just 1,000 pieces. Both come encapsulated, unless you buy one of the bulk monsterboxes, where you’ll get the coins in tubes. Available now, you can pick them up from several of our sponsors, including LPM and Bold Precious Metals.
LINKS: STAR WARS BULLION COIN PROFILE