May, 2026
Phoenicia 1oz proof or ruthenium silver coin (2026 Le Grand Mint)
Mik Woodgate2026-05-21T14:42:14+01:00May 11th, 2026|
Phoenicia 1oz proof or ruthenium-plated silver coin (2026 Le Grand Mint)
Le Grand Mint are one of those producers who have a certain style to their coins, and it’s a very elegant one. Coins like the Durga range, and the Queen of Creativity issue, have a style all of their own, with the recent Freya being a particular favourite of mine. The quality of the artists that create the work is a key factor, with Miroslav Hric, and the artist responsible for this Phoenicia coin, Carmen Testa, being at the top of the game.
We’re almost in the world of female personifications, a particularly strong theme in the numismatic world, but here the woman represents an ancient culture rarely seen on coins, Phoenicia. This Mediterranean people, existing from around 2,500 BCE to 64 BCE, were based in what is now Lebanon and coastal parts of Syria. They were a maritime people, trading extensively around the Mediterranean as far west as the Iberian Peninsula, but leaving fewer records of themselves than the Egyptians.
The coin design dips into that heritage, and is centred around a beautiful woman with her arms outstretched, draped over which is an intricately decorated robe. The Phoenicians were known for their purple Tyrian dyes, which they traded with other cultures. Running over her shoulders are the two bands of the robe, bearing Phoenician script, which was the first verified alphabet, and inspired the Greek alphabet, and others. The lions on the sculpted relief at the top are taken from the old city of Baalbek, which has been continually inhabited for over 7,000 years, perhaps from the Temple of Bacchus, or Jupiter.
A very pretty coin, it’s clearly had considerable thought put into its design, and to great effect. The subject is a breath of fresh air, and incredibly interesting, to me at least, and Le Grand Mint, with Carmen Testa, are to be commended for it. There are two variants of this one-ounce high-relief silver coin on offer. The primary one is a proof coin with a 777 mintage, and the other a ruthenium and gold-plated coin, of which there will be only 222 333 examples. Whatever you get, it’s a fine release.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $20 (Liberia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 silver | 38.6 mm | Proof | 777 |
| $20 (Liberia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 silver | 38.6 mm | Ruthenium, Gilding | 333 |
April, 2026
Techstalgic Databank Watch Gilded Edition, 2oz proof silver coin (2026 Powercoin)
Mik Woodgate2026-04-22T14:07:41+01:00April 22nd, 2026|
Techstalgic Databank Watch Gilded Edition, 2oz proof silver coin (2026 Powercoin)
In June 2024, Powercoin added the Databank Watch, an homage to all those Casio and Seiko calculator watches that blew people’s minds back in the 70s, to their fledgling ‘Techstalgic series’. It was the second issue, following the Floppy Disk coin, and was subsequently followed by an Unbreakable Phone, and a Walkman. Those other three coins had something the Databank Watch didn’t – a variant finish, in those cases, coloured.
Databank Watch now gets its own variant, but colour doesn’t seem appropriate, so Powercoin have gone the gilded route, which seems a natural fit given how popular gold watches are. In all other respects, this is identical to the original, which we previously covered, except for the obvious issue date.
It comes presented in a ‘floating’ frame display box, with a certificate of authenticity, and is available to order from today. Unlike the 499 of the original coin, just 99 of these will be offered. Techstalgic has been a truly nostalgic look back at our electronic infancy, and we’re hoping to see another new offering in the series this year. A games console, or an instant camera, perhaps.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 grams of 0.999 silver | 40.0 x 62.0 mm | Proof, Gilded | 99 |
Multi Metal 1/1000th ounce coins (2026 Silver Pours)
Mik Woodgate2026-04-14T18:38:50+01:00April 14th, 2026|
Multi Metal 1/1000th ounce coins (2026 Silver Pours)
New issues have been added to the micro-coin profiles, specifically the ones for gold, platinum, and palladium. As always, we’ll keep these up-to-date as they do come out at quite a fast rate.
We’ve added five new designs to the gold guide, one to the platinum, and one to the palladium.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Various | Various | Various | Various | Various |
Lucky Dragon 05 & 06 1oz coloured bullion bars (2026 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2026-04-14T16:16:52+01:00April 14th, 2026|
Lucky Dragon 05 & 06 1oz coloured bullion bars (2026 Scottsdale Mint)
Just a Quicklooks heads-up that the final pair of Scottsdale Mint ‘Lucky Dragon’ bars are now available to order, and will only be so until 20th April. The two designs this time are Hánshuāng (Winter Frost), and Yèqióng (Night Sky), and the final mintage will be determined by how many are ordered over the seven days they’re available. Last year, the bars topped out around 2,000 per design, so they are by no means a common item.
Both designs are really good, as the earlier four have been, and relatively affordable. You can read more in our article last week that showed those first four, and the associated 8.88oz bullion bars.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.2 mm | BU, Colour | TBD |
Durga, the Hindu Goddess 1oz proof silver coin (2026 Le Grand Mint)
Mik Woodgate2026-04-01T22:45:55+01:00April 1st, 2026|
Durga, the Hindu Goddess 1oz proof silver coin (2026 Le Grand Mint)
Initially a three-coin series featuring the warrior goddess in the Hindu religion, Le Grand Mint’s gorgeous trio has now been joined by an unexpected fourth issue in the same style. Durga symbolises the triumph of good over evil, and is portrayed as a multi-armed woman, carrying various weapons, and in the company of a big cat, usually a lion or a tiger.
The 2026 coin features all of those elements, and here Durga is sitting cross-legged on the back of a tiger, armed to the teeth, and surrounded by those elegant floral scrolls that have been a signature of the range since 2023. Artist Carmen Testa has done another terrific job with the design of this one, and it certainly maintains the high standard it’s set to date. The obverse is equally superb, with a wide border filled with intricate floral designs. These are similar in style to those on earlier coins, but keeps up the practice of being all new in detail.
There are two variants at launch, with a proof coin (above) having the highest mintage at 8,500 pieces. In addition, there’s a ruthenium plated coin with extensive gilded highlights on both faces, which tops out at just 1,000 pieces. Each coin comes boxed with a certificate of authenticity. A very pretty piece, it’s available to pre-order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 2,000 Francs CFA (Cameroon) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 silver | 38.6 mm | Proof | 8,500 |
| 2,000 Francs CFA (Cameroon) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 silver | 38.6 mm | Ruthenium plated, Gilding | 999 |
The Hidden Ace Special Edition 1oz silver coin (2026 Powercoin)
Mik Woodgate2026-04-01T16:08:43+01:00April 1st, 2026|
The Hidden Ace Special Edition 1oz silver coin (2026 Powercoin)
In the final weeks on 2025, Powercoin, one of the more imaginative producers out there, released one of their unusual coins upon the collectors market. Called The Hidden Deck, it was shaped as if a playing card, but not just one fresh out of the deck, it was crumpled up. Enhanced with some perfectly placed antiquing that really enhanced the 3d effect, and you had something quite different to the norm.
This new variant has an almost identical design, except for the addition of some intense red colour, exactly where you would expect it to be on the Ace of Hearts. The only other major difference seems to be the mintage, which drops from the 499 of the original, to just 199 here. The packaging, with its latex display frame, looks well themed, and it’s available to order now. You can see more information in our post about the original HERE.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 78.0 mm | Antique, Colour | 199 |
March, 2026
Legendary Warriors William Wallace 2oz silver coin (2026 T&S Coin)
Mik Woodgate2026-03-31T13:29:12+01:00March 31st, 2026|
Legendary Warriors William Wallace 2oz silver coin (2026 T&S Coin)
T&S Coin, in partnership with North Carolina based US dealer, Pinehurst Coins, have added the 13th issue in their 15-coin series ‘Legendary Warriors’. These take famous historical warriors from around the world, and picture them in antiqued high-relief on a two-ounce silver coin, with gilded highlights. The series has maintained a good mix of subjects, and a high standard of design. Pinehurst even have bullion coin variants, which are struck in the US.
This one is William Wallace, the Scottish rebel knight who was the star of the comically bad film, Braveheart, which was a historical film that decided actual history was an optional extra. Wallace has a lot of cultural significance in Scotland, and his high profile will be a positive for the coin. It’s a good scene, picturing the defiance of the Scots, and we’ll forgive the tartan, that didn’t appear for several hundred years after Wallace died.
Rather than go on about it here, you can read more about it in our comprehensive Coin Series Profile, where all these coins are featured. It’s available to pre-order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 g of 0.999 silver | 45.0 mm | Antique, Gilding | 500 |
Sir Malcolm Campbell Speed Record 1oz silver coin (2025 Mint of Poland)
Mik Woodgate2026-03-19T22:19:58+00:00March 19th, 2026|
Sir Malcolm Campbell Speed Record 1oz silver coin (2025 Mint of Poland)
Born in 1885 in Kent, Malcolm Campbell grew up to have an obsession with speed after discovering the joys of motorbikes while working in Germany. He also had a talent for it, winning the 1906, 1907, and 1908 London to Land’s End trials. He migrated to cars, entering races from 1910 at the world-famous Brooklands track, before a spell as a motorcycle dispatch rider in the First World War. Campbell moved on to Grand Prix racing, winning the Grand Prix de Boulogne in France, in 1927 and 1928. He also had a fascination with speed records.
Campbell undertook many speed runs, setting the world record on no fewer than nine occasions. He was the first to break 150mph, doing so in 1925 in a car he named Blue Bird, his fourth to carry that now legendary name. He was the second to break 200mph, and the first to exceed 300mph. It was his equally famous son, Donald, that smashed the 400mph land speed record in 1964, also in a car named Bluebird. Malcolm also set the water speed record four times, also in a Blue Bird. A true legend, he was knighted in 1931, and died in 1948.
The coin depicts Campbell, in a racing helmet and goggles, in front of which is the blue 350HP V12 Sunbeam that took him to 150+mph. It’s a very good likeness, inspired by a photograph taken around 1935. A stylised track with a pair of cars on it, gives the Sunbeam a sense of speed, which suits the theme well. Struck by the Mint of Poland, this coin is issued by the Central Bank of Malta, and has a mintage of 700 pieces. A fine coin celebrating a quintessential British have-a-go lunatic…
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 5 EURO (Malta) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.61 mm | Proof, Colour | 700 |
Animalium Tiger 1oz silver coin (2025 Allcollect)
Mik Woodgate2026-03-19T17:14:35+00:00March 19th, 2026|
Animalium Tiger 1oz silver coin (2025 Allcollect)
German producer Allcollect has debuted a striking new square silver coin incorporating some unusual, contrasting gilded finishes to create a high-contrast look. The coin has been designed by Rui Vega, using artificial intelligence, usually a red flag for us, but there’s no question this is a striking, symbolic representation of that most magnificent of the big cats.
The most striking aspect is the high contrast finish, created using what Allcollect are calling ‘Black Gold’ for the background, with the relief areas picked out in a standard yellow-gold plating. Whatever its origins, it’s an attractive coin. It’s issued for the African nation, Benin, and their national emblem, infused with wildlife, sits on the obverse, which is fully finished in black gold.
This one-ounce fine silver coin will be supplied boxed, and with a certificate of authenticity. Just 750 of these will be minted, and the coin is available to pre-order now from dealers globally. Check out our Where to Buy page for some of them.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 1,000 Francs CFA (Benin) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 35.0 x 35.0 mm | BU | 750 |
Star Wars Original Trilogy: Darth Vader 1oz silver bullion coin (2026 NZM/PAMP)
Mik Woodgate2026-03-19T12:32:47+00:00March 19th, 2026|
Star Wars Original Trilogy: Darth Vader 1oz silver bullion coin (2026 NZM/PAMP)
Continuing a long-running series of bullion coins, the New Zealand Mint, and MTB/PAMP, have issued the latest Star Wars silver coin, which is the third in the Original Trilogy range. Previous coins, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, have proven popular enough for this issue, Darth Vader, to have its mintage more than doubled to 25,000 pieces in silver form, although gold remains at 100 units.
The style of Vader is consistent with the earlier pair, with a border leading to the ‘Star Wars’ logo, surrounding an image of the character with the crest, in this case the Galactic Empire, in the background. The obverse is a standard Niue design of their public seal with the denomination above, and the date below. The coin composition is inscribed on the main reverse face.
Along with the one-ounce silver coin, there’s a one-ounce gold, which seems to be packaged in a themed slab, but is not graded. Both are available to order now, with the silver coin also available in tubes of 20.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 39.0 mm | BU | 25,000 |
| $250 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | BU | 100 |
Italia 1oz copper bullion coin (2026 Hobo Coin)
Mik Woodgate2026-03-13T19:33:24+00:00March 13th, 2026|
Italia 1oz copper bullion coin (2026 Hobo Coin)
Hobo Coin have done some sterling work with copper rounds of late, releasing some very interesting alt-future-past designs across two series. Their latest issue is completely different in theme, and will surely have considerable appeal to the more traditional numismatic collector.
Called Italia, it features on its reverse face the national personification of Italy, Italia Turrita, the latter name for a mural crown she wears, derived from the deity Cybele, which symbolises the city-based civic society that has marked out Italian society for centuries. She carries a shield, emblazoned on which is the Stella d’Italia (Star of Italy), and an olive branch in her hand. It’s a gorgeous, classic portrayal, in the same vein as Britannia, or Germania, for example.
The obverse features a traditional royal coat-of-arms, capped by a crown and mantle. It’s framed below by an olive branch, and an oak branch, which symbolise both peace and strength. The L.5 inscription is a nod to the old Italian Lira, which was a staple on pre-Euro coinage, although this round is not denominated.
This is a one-ounce fine copper bullion coin with a 10,000 piece mintage, and it comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. We’ve said it before, but copper has an increasing importance in modern numismatics, offering an affordable entry point to the hobby in a time of much higher gold and silver prices. With this new offering, Hobo Coin has proven this doesn’t mean compromising on design. A genuinely terrific release, in my view. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 copper | 40.0 mm | BU | 10,000 |
Mythological Figures: Vampire 1oz silver coin (2026 Czech Mint)
Mik Woodgate2026-03-10T12:34:16+00:00March 10th, 2026|
Mythological Figures: Vampire 1oz silver coin (2026 Czech Mint)
Nobody does a set series like the Czech Mint, who have a fine history of issuing themed collections of mainly silver coins. We’ve covered quite a few of them here, like Prehistoric World, Armoured Vehicles, and Inventions of Leonardo, and the mint has a few in progress right now, at various states of completion. One of them is Mythological Figures, a series of 12, one-ounce silver coins, released four-per-year.
The latest of them, the ninth to date, and the first of the four scheduled for 2026, is Vampire. It’s a terrific piece of work by the series regular artist, Roman Šamiljan, with a sharp, chiselled style that works sublimely with the subject. The whole series is done in this style, with a mix of head-on and profile portraits of the various figures. The obverse is common to the series, and features four habitats circumnavigating the Public Seal of Niue.
The coin is boxed, with a Certificate of Authenticity, and in a themed slipcover. The Czech Mint has a practice of offering collection binders that will hold a full set, something we wish more producers would do. That’s also the case here, and there’s a neat double-gatefold board binder that will hold all twelve coins, along with descriptions of them. Sadly, it’s in Czech only, and perhaps a little pricey at €40, but it’s great to see it offered regardless. The next three coins will be Angel (May), Goblin (July), and Dryad (October).
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 37.0 mm | Antique | 5,000 |
February, 2026
Camelot: Sir Perceval 1oz silver bullion coin (2026 Asturmint)
Mik Woodgate2026-02-23T10:08:47+00:00February 23rd, 2026|
Camelot: Sir Perceval 1oz silver bullion coin (2026 Asturmint)
Asturmint’s ‘Camelot’ series of 2 oz, high-relief coins is up to three issues from the twelve that were originally planned, and the companion 1 oz silver bullion variants have now reached the same level, with the debut of the Sir Perceval coin. The earlier pair, Arthur and Lancelot, also had additional variants, utilising ennoblement with gilding, and platinum/ruthenium plating, but that will probably come to Perceval in time, as will a one-ounce gold bullion coin, and perhaps, the antiqued/ coloured coin.
The design follows the pattern set by earlier bullion variants, in keeping the same basic artwork as the high-relief coin, but eschewing all the background detail for a traditional bullion pattern of radiating lines. That still leaves plenty of action occurring all over the reverse face, and it’s an action-packed scene straight from Le Morte d’Arthur, where the knight encounters a battle between a lion and a serpent, and determining the lion to be a nobler beast, aids it in killing the serpent. His faith is later tested by the Devil, ho tries to claim him as payment for killing his serpent.
The obverse is even closer in design to the bigger coin, keeping all the elements except the gilded shield for the knight in question, which is perfectly understandable. It’s a great obverse, a face usually overlooked in the bullion world. Each coin comes encapsulated, and with a certificate of authenticity. The mintage has been reduced from 10,000 pieces to 5,000, which is a sensible idea given silvers rise in price. A nice addition to the series.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 silver | 38.61 mm | Matte/Proof | 5,000 |
Legendary Creatures: Loch Ness Monster 1oz gold and silver bullion coins (2026 The Royal Mint)
Mik Woodgate2026-02-18T21:43:10+00:00February 18th, 2026|
Legendary Creatures: Loch Ness Monster 1oz gold and silver bullion coins (2026 The Royal Mint)
The Royal Mint has debuted another new series of bullion coins, and it’s one that delves into the mythological past of the British Isles. Called ‘Legendary Creatures’, it will run alongside the mints other new series, ‘Gothic Horror’, which launched recently with an outstanding Dracula coin.
The series kicks off with a classic of the cryptid world, the Loch Ness Monster, the famous ‘inhabitant’ of a Scottish loch, and one that has been the subject of much interest over the last century, in particular. The creature is depicted bursting through the water’s surface, and in the background are the ruins of Urquhart Castle, a 13th century castle destroyed at the end of the 17th century, and now a big tourist attraction. It’s a good depiction, and would make a good proof coin.
This is one of the mint’s limited bullion coins, with the one-ounce gold variant having a cap of 5,000 pieces, and the one-ounce silver version having a mintage of 50,000 coins. Both are encapsulated, and available to purchase now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| £2 UKP (United Kingdom) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.61 mm | BU | 50,000 |
| £100 UKP (United Kingdom) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.69 mm | BU | 5,000 |
Fire Horse 1oz proof gold coin (2026 T&S Coin)
Mik Woodgate2026-02-11T20:29:28+00:00February 11th, 2026|
Fire Horse 1oz proof gold coin (2026 T&S Coin)
In mid-December, T & S Coin, launched their first coin featuring the lunar cycle. It was a two-ounce silver coin, with antique finishing, colour, and high-relief. Over the last year, this producer has dabbled with some gold versions of select silver coins from their portfolio, usually with tiny mintages, and in at least two sizes.
The gold version of the Fire Horse Lunar is a one-ounce coin, with an almost identical design. The only noticeable change is to the background, which eschews the original pattern for a star field. The change to a cleanly struck proof coin has been very successful, and it looks to be a classy looker, with some beautiful anatomy on the horse. The obverse is simpler than the silver coin, but it’s also issued for Niue.
Just 50 of these coins will be offered, which is understandable given what an ounce of gold currently sells for. An attractive lunar, we’re hoping that they issue something more affordable in gold to sit alongside it, perhaps a half-gram minigold, like they did with the recent Archangel Michael release. Available to order now, it will ship from early March.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $250 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.999 gold | 37.0 mm | Proof | 50 |