April, 2024
Ghana Leopard gold and silver bullion coins (2023 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-04-16T11:54:23+01:00April 16th, 2024|
Ghana Leopard gold and silver bullion coins (2023 Scottsdale Mint)
One of the longer running series in Scottsdale Mint’s copious range of bullion coins, the African Leopard debuted in 2017 with a silver coin, and has been issued annually ever since. In 2020, a gold variant was added to the range, also an ounce in weight, and in 2022, the African Leopard title was seemingly dropped in favour of Ghana Leopard, bringing the title more in line with much of Scottsdale’s range.
The designs over the years have varied from neat (2019) to distinctly average (2021), but last year saw an uptick in quality, which we’re pleased to say has been more than maintained for the 2023 issue. It’s a simple portrait, but it exhibits an accurate and aesthetically pleasing look. There’s an unusual pattern in the background, perhaps symbolising the grassland/forest the leopard calls home.
The obverse has changed a little, keeping the leopard-skin pattern and the border, but switching out the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II with the national coat-of-arms of Ghana. That isn’t surprising given this is a 2023 issue, which was a monarch changeover period. We may see King Charles II on the 2024 release, or they may simply stay with this.
The gold variant has a mintage of just 100 units, and comes boxed with a certificate. The silver tops out at 10,000 pieces, and is encapsulated, with packs of five mounted to a card. Alpha Strike coins, those struck early for the best definition, are supplied in Scottsdale Mint’s ‘Certi-Lock’ packaging, and just 249 will be offered. All should be available to order from today.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 20 Cedis (Ghana) | 31.1 g 0.999 silver | 39 mm | B/Unc | 10,000 |
| 500 Cedis (Ghana) | 31.1 g 0.9999 gold | 32 mm | B/Unc | 100 |
The Solar System bi-metal silver coin (2024 Precious Metal Collectors)
Mik Woodgate2024-04-09T18:24:02+01:00April 9th, 2024|
The Solar System bi-metal silver coin (2024 Precious Metal Collectors)
Released today is the latest in Precious Metal Collector’s range of hybrid silver/copper coins, and in a step away from fine art or Asian mythology, they’re taking steps into the final frontier with our solar system. As one of PMC’s bi-metal coins, it’s a size far greater than the two ounces of silver would suggest, aided by the use of 11.5 ounces of copper as a core. The coin is thick, 80 mm in diameter, and has plenty of high-relief, yet remains relatively affordable compared to an all silver strike.
The design is simple enough. The Earth is the primary focus, with the Sun behind it, and the other seven planets laid out to one side. It’s an artistic depiction, bearing no relation to the size or position of these bodies in reality, but they are coloured sympathetically. There’s a rocket, looking a little like Space X’s ‘Starship’, in orbit around Earth.
The obverse features a simplified pattern of orbits, with the Public Seal of Niue sitting in a space the Sun would occupy. This side is fully antiqued, and sans colouration. All together, a decent, if unadventurous design. It’s a very difficult subject to capture well on a coin face, and we feel PMC have done well to pull it all in as well as they have. Boxed with a C.O.A., it’s available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 g 0.999 silver, 11.5oz 0.999 copper | 80.0 mm | Antique, colour | 299 |
Middle Earth Map 5oz silver coin (2024 New Zealand Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-04-09T12:19:36+01:00April 9th, 2024|
Middle Earth Map 5oz silver coin (2024 New Zealand Mint)
A giant of the literary and film worlds, irrespective of genre, J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ sequence has topped bestseller lists around the world for decades, They made the move to the big screen in 2003, with an epic trilogy helmed by Peter Jackson, which amassed 17 Oscars (including a staggeringly 11 out of 11 nominations for The Two Towers), and made $3 billion in box-office takings alone. There’s a good presence in the coin world, with several producers issuing themed coins, chief amongst them the New Zealand Mint.
The pop-culture coin specialist has released a very cool new coin today, struck in five-ounces of fine silver, and reproducing a map of Middle Earth. It has a frame filled with script, place names picked out in red colour, and a coloured emblem in one corner. The ‘torn’ edge is a terrific touch. The theming continues on the obverse, with the Public Seal of Niue surrounded by the inscription from the One Ring.
The NZ Mint always does presentation well, and this coin is no exception, even at a $499 USD price. With a mintage of just 250 pieces, and a licence with the popularity of Lord of the Rings, we expect this will be a sought after release, and rightly so, in our view. Very nice. Available from today.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $10 NZD (Niue) | 155.5 g 0.9999 silver | 100.0 x 100.0 mm | Antique, colour | 250 |
Gebo Rune silver bar (2024 Germania Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-04-03T17:17:25+01:00April 3rd, 2024|
Gebo Rune silver bar (2024 Germania Mint)
Germania Mint has released the eighth in its very popular ‘Runes’ range of one-ounce silver bars. Each of these carries a runic symbol from the early Northern European cultures, and this release is Gebo. It literally means ‘gift’, and is associated with trade, sacrifice, altruism, balance, and hospitality. Gebo is the seventh rune in the Elder Futhark system, that may date back some two millennia, and was associated with Freyr and Freyja. Around the 7th-8th century, Younger Futhark (Norse Runes) took over from Elder, and Gebo faded from use.
A small shaped bar of 0.9999 silver, each rune is emblazoned on the reverse, and has a UV glow-in-the-dark treatment. They have that ‘handled’ look which is attractive, and the back of the bar carries the inscribed composition. There really isn’t much more to these than that, and that unpretentious nature may explain their popularity. They come in a bag with a matching rune symbol on the front, and in a box with the C.O.A. Available now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g 0.9999 silver | 30.2 x 22.3 x 7.4 mm | Antique | 2,500 |
March, 2024
Biblical Series 53, 54, and 55: The Sermon on the Mount +2 silver coins (2023 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-03-28T17:35:14+00:00March 28th, 2024|
Biblical Series 53, 54, and 55: The Sermon on the Mount +2 silver coins (2023 Scottsdale Mint)
The 60-coin, 10-year Biblical Series program of two-ounce silver coins, continues its inevitable march to completion with the debut of the 52nd, 53rd, and 54th issues. Scottsdale Mint has brought the series up-to-date much quicker than we thought they would, and this finalisation of the 2023 releases, means there’s a great chance the last six coins will debut later in 2024. Again, these feature famous stories in the Bible, in this case The Sermon on the Mount., Moses in the Bulrushes, and Zechariah’s Vision of the Chariots.
As always, the coin designs are a reproduction of the original Gustave Dore woodcuts, and those rarely disappoint. A series for those who have a deep interest in the subject (and lots of commitment!), it has grown into a comprehensive look at one of histories most important books. Check out our comprehensive Coin Series Profile for a look at all the releases to date, and some background information.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 g 0.999 silver | 40.0 mm | Antique | 1,499 |
Deadly & Dangerous 19: Bluebottle proof silver coin (2024 Downies/Perth Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-03-05T20:43:11+00:00March 5th, 2024|
Deadly & Dangerous 19: Bluebottle proof silver coin (2024 Downies/Perth Mint)
One of the longest running series we’ve ever covered at AgAuNEWS, Deadly and Dangerous debuted in 2006 with the Red Back Spider, a coin that went on to garner enormous interest on the secondary market. It was a striking coin, but despite interest in the series reducing somewhat, no doubt due to the huge influx of competing designs, it remains a perennial part of the numismatic release schedule.
This 19th issue features the Bluebottle, known elsewhere around the world as the Portuguese Man o’ War. The reverse face of the coin features an attractive image of this extraordinary creature, with the animal itself, and the area above the surface of the sea, highlighted in colour. The undersea environment is cleanly struck, forming a neat contrast.
As has been the case since 2021, there are one-ounce silver and one-ounce gold versions of the coin, each using metal of 0.9999 fineness. Unusually, the silver coin is struck for Tuvalu, a staple place of issue for the Perth Mint that strikes this version, and has the memorial effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse. The gold coin is issued for Niue, and carries the King Charles II effigy instead, this one by Jody Clark. Both formats are available to order now. Check out our comprehensive Coin Series Profile of the range for full details of this, and the 18 earlier issues.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 TVD (Tuvalu) | 31.1 g 0.9999 silver | 40.9 mm | Proof | 2,500 |
| $100 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g 0.9999 gold | 38.6 mm | Proof | 150 |
February, 2024
Grand Admiral Thrawn & Poison Ivy Chibi silver coins (2024 New Zealand Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-27T16:26:30+00:00February 27th, 2024|
Grand Admiral Thrawn & Poison Ivy Chibi silver coins (2024 New Zealand Mint)
Our updating of various Coin Series Profiles continues today, with another pair of coins added to the New Zealand Mint’s copious, and quirky range of pop-culture parodies. For those unaware, Chibi is based on the Japanese art-style called super-deformed, whereby a character is depicted with a huge, outsized head.
There are now over 150 coins in this series, quite some feat given it’s only four years old, and for ease of collection, they’re divided into numerous themed subsets, such as Marvel Comics, Star Trek, and Harry Potter. The two biggest subsets are Star Wars, and DC Comics, and it’s these two that gain new additions this month. Grand Admiral Thrawn joins Star Wars (actually the sub-subset ‘Ahsoka’), and Poison Ivy lines up with the DC pantheon.
Both also have the 10% chance of getting a fully gilded variant. The boxes are sealed, so you won’t know if you have one until it’s opened. Gilded coins carry a big premium on the secondary market, but we can’t say we’re fans of the concept. If you want to offer a gilded version, stick $30 on the price and sell them. Random chance has no place in numismatics, in my view, but your mileage may vary. As always, these are appealing for fans, very well struck, and nicely presented, with a price of $99.00 USD.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g 0.999 silver | variable x 36.0 mm | Proof | 2,000 |
Enduring Soldiers 17: Zygmunt Szendzielarz ‘Lupaszka’ silver coin (2024 National Bank of Poland)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-27T12:26:09+00:00February 27th, 2024|
Enduring Soldiers 17: Zygmunt Szendzielarz 'Lupaszka' silver coin (2024 National Bank of Poland)
A long-running series from the National Bank of Poland, ‘Enduring Soldiers Accursed by the Communists’ is a celebration of the freedom fighters that gave their lives fighting the Soviet Union immediately after the end of the Second World War. Today sees the issue of the 17th coin in the series – Zygmunt Szendzielarz ‘Lupaszka’.
Each half-ounce sterling silver coin depicts the soldier on its reverse face, and nothing has changed for this issue. The source material is often photographs of the period, and the mint tends to do a fine job with the likeness as a result. The coin is struck to a proof finish with some small colour highlighting, and the obverse carries that neat Polish national eagle.
One of the most impressive things about this series are the detailed histories that the bank provides in its media pack, and we’ve reproduced it in full, not just for Lupaszka, but for all the coins to date, in our up-to-date Coin Series Profile of the range. The stories are well worth a read, spotlighting a brutal, and little-known struggle, which goes some way to explaining Poland’s current stance about Russia. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 10 Zloty (Poland) | 14.14 g 0.925 silver | 32.0 mm | Proof | 10,000 |
Armoured Vehicles 09: The M26 Pershing gold and silver coins (2024 Czech Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-27T11:29:11+00:00February 27th, 2024|
Armoured Vehicles 9: The M26 Pershing gold and silver coins (2024 Czech Mint)
It’s a favourite subject of mine, so it’s fair to say the Czech Mint’s three-year, twelve-coin look at the tanks of the Second World War, was always going to get a Coin Series Profile, and that is indeed the case. The coins have been released at the rate of four per year, one each from the Soviet Union, Britain, the US, and Germany annually.
The latest issue is the American coin for 2024, and features the M26 Pershing heavy tank, a model that arrived in the European theatre in early 1945, too late to have a real impact, but showing a promise that bore fruit in the Korean War. The M26 is depicted in the coin centre, with a silhouette at top, and a track pattern around the bottom.
There’s a one-ounce silver variant, and a tenth-ounce gold, and both are available to order now. The next issue is due in August, and will be the Panzer IV, followed in October by the MK VI Crusader, and wrapping up in November with the IS-2.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g 0.999 silver | 37.0 mm | Proof | 1,000 |
| $5 NZD (Niue) | 3.11 g 0.9999 gold | 16.0 mm | Proof | 250 |
Road With Cypresses and Stars by Van Gogh Tri-metal coin (2024 Precious Metal Collectors)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-20T16:07:28+00:00February 20th, 2024|
Road With Cypresses and Stars by Van Gogh Tri-metal coin (2024 Precious Metal Collectors)
Closing in on 30 releases to date, Precious Metal Collector’s range of fine-art coins using their innovative multi-metal process, remains as popular as ever. For 2024, the producer moved to a Tri-Metal Max process, with a layer of 2.5oz of fine silver sitting over a central core of 750g of zinc, which sits atop a layer of 120g of copper. The end result is a relatively affordable coin of immense size and thickness.
It also imparts each coin with plenty of high-relief, which when you’re dealing with Vincent van Gogh’s unique style, is a textural bonus. This is the third in the trimetallic Van Gogh range, and features his 1890 creation, ‘Country Road in Provence by Night’, painted during his voluntary stay at Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum. It’s a beautiful nocturnal scene, drawing on the many themes he considered staples of his style.
The obverse is a pretty greyscale village scene, which we’ll assume is an area that Van Gogh either lived or worked in, somewhere in France. It’s a terrific release, and we maintain our view that lovers of fine art will find no better coin series on the market today. They come beautifully boxed with a certificate of authenticity, and this issue should be available to order now. We’ve added it to our comprehensive Coin Series Profile of the range.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 10,000 Francs CFA (Chad) | 2.5 oz 999 Ag, 750g 999 Zn, 120g 999 Cu | 165.0 x 125.0 mm | Antique | 399 |
The Arrowhead silver bullion (2024 Coin’s Today)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-20T13:19:01+00:00February 20th, 2024|
The Arrowhead silver bullion (2024 Coin's Today)
The latest in Coins Today’s comprehensive bullion range is this new, undenominated bar in the shape of an arrowhead. Decorated in what appears to be a medieval, Northern European style across both faces, it’s available with a choice of two finishes. The first is fully antiqued, and the second is similarly finished, but embellished with some gold colour, something you could quite imagine an original period arrowhead having.
This is a smaller piece than their usual two-ounce weight, tipping the scales at a quarter-ounce, and carries on the practice of having an unlimited mintage. An unusual and quirky piece, which makes a neat detour from the producers stackable range. It should be available to order this week.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 7.78 g of 0.999 silver | 26.0 x 10.5 mm | Antique | Unlimited |
| Undenominated | 7.78 g of 0.999 silver | 26.0 x 10.5 mm | Part gold coloured | Unlimited |
Myths & Legends: Beowulf and Grendel gold and silver bullion coins (2024 The Royal Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-20T10:47:35+00:00February 20th, 2024|
Myths & Legends: Beowulf and Grendel gold and silver bullion coins (2024 The Royal Mint)
The Royal Mint’s ‘British Myths & Legends’ series has been issued in waves of three designs, each trio featuring a particular tale from British history. The first trilogy was Robin Hood, and the second, King Arthur’s Camelot. Now it’s time for the latest story, and we’re drawn back to Anglo-Saxon times for the epic tale, Beowulf.
“Beowulf,” an epic poem of Old English origin, chronicles the heroic exploits of its titular protagonist. Written by an anonymous poet, it highlights Beowulf’s valorous battles against three monstrous foes – Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon, all of which we suspect will be depicted on coins. Rooted in themes of heroism, loyalty, and fate, the poem provides a window into Anglo-Saxon culture, embodying the ideals of courage and honour amidst the struggles against formidable adversaries.
This coin, and we suspect the next two, are designed by Royal Mint regular, David Lawrence, and he’s done a good job capturing that almost woodcut style of the period. We like this one, and it makes a nice detour from the character-focused style of previous series, choosing the story itself to be illustrated.
At present, we’ve only seen 1oz silver and 1oz gold variants, although we suspect a 10oz silver will rear its head soon. A good start to the latest trilogy, and available to order shortly.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| £2 UKP (United Kingdom) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.61 mm | Bullion | TBC |
| £100 UKP (United Kingdom) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.69 mm | Bullion | TBC |
Giants of the Ice Age: Woolly Mammoth 2oz silver bullion (2024 MTB-PAMP/RCM)
Mik Woodgate2024-02-16T16:25:48+00:00February 16th, 2024|
Giants of the Ice Age: Woolly Mammoth 2oz silver bullion (2024 MTB-PAMP/RCM)
The Royal Canadian Mint continues its long tradition of nature-themed bullion with the second in their Ice Age Giants series of two-ounce silver coins. Launching last year with a Smilodon design, for 2024 we’re with another classic beast of the period, the Woolly Mammoth.
It’s a typical RCM design, with a wide, star-burst border, and some excellent artwork filling the middle of the coin. We think it’s a better design than last year’s offering, displaying an adept mastery of anatomy. We’d like a narrower border, of course, but that’s a typical flaw of many bullion coins. The obverse now utilises the RCM’s new effigy of King Charles III.
Available exclusively through US distributor, MTB-PAMP, it should be available to order now, and will start shipping from next week.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $10 CAD (Canada) | 62.2 g of 0.9999 silver | 38.0 mm | Bullion | TBC |
January, 2024
Pastel Circus: Balancing 2oz silver coin (2023 Lithuanian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-01-18T17:51:29+00:00January 18th, 2024|
Pastel Circus: Balancing 2oz silver coin (2023 Lithuanian Mint)
Another work from the artist Laimutė Varkalaitė, responsible for the superb World of Cryptids range, Pastel Circus is just as quirky, perhaps even more so. This is a four-coin series, following different incarnations of the red-nosed clown, all of them hinting at a symbolic transformation into a bird. Like we said, quirky…
This third issue is called ‘Balancing’, and depicts the ‘Juggler Clown’ performing multiple feats of balance while performing tricks. The full description by the mint is as weird and nebulous as the coin, but for us, it’s all about the design, and it’s another cracking piece. Varkalaitė has a fertile imagination, and an obvious talent for artistic flair, which we think is fully on display with this series. The obverse is a common one, so no changes on that front.
A two-ounce coin with a 500 mintage, this is a fine alternative to the usual mythology themed release, showcasing something truly unique, not just in concept, but also in realisation. The last in the series (Becoming) is coming next month, and with the end of World of Cryptids, seems to be the last of this artist’s issues that we know about at present. Hopefully, we’ll see more of their work as the year progresses. Available now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 g of 0.999 silver | 35.0 x 50.0 mm | Antique, colour | 500 |
Goddesses Freya two ounce cast silver bar (2024 Germania Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-08-16T14:12:11+01:00January 15th, 2024|
Goddesses Freya two ounce cast silver bar (2024 Germania Mint)
We don’t normally cover much in the way of cast bars, as we have enough trouble keeping up with coins, but we do dabble when we think it’s something you’ll like. That’s the case with this new bar from Germania Mint, which is designed and presented as if it were one of their standard bullion coins, and part of their Germanic themed world.
It remains a simple cast bar, but it’s adorned with some quite beautiful artwork, depicting the Norse goddess Freyja. The base style is reminiscent of those very pretty Dark Beauties coins from the Helvetic Mint. Freyja, the goddess of love, sex, and war, is a staple in Norse mythology, but we’ve rarely seen her depicted as strikingly as here.
While this might be a cast bar, it comes presented in a neat box, along with a Certificate of Authenticity. The bar has a serial number engraved on the back face, and there will only be 999 pieces made available. We understand that the mint has had to impose strong allocation numbers to its dealers, so expect this one to sell out very quickly. It’s easy to see why. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 62.2 g of 0.999 silver | 40.13 x 25.07 mm | Antique, colour | 999 |
