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October, 2023

Flora and Zephyr high relief silver coin (2023)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-27T19:38:52+01:00October 27th, 2023|

Currently residing in the Musée des Beaux-Arts of Mulhouse, in France, Flora and Zephyr is a painting by the artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau, completed in 1875 using oil-on-canvas. It depicts the Ancient Greek god of the west wind, Zephyr, embracing and kissing Chloris, a nymph. Chloris was known as Flora in Ancient Rome, hence the title.

Unusually, and quite handily, the original painting is circular, so the coin manages to pack the whole thing into its boundary, rather than crop it, as is the case with most pieces of art on coins. Zephyr has butterfly wings, and the original is a riot of colour. The coin takes a more classically numismatic route of giving the art some high-relief, and employing antique finishing instead.

We only have renders at present, but clearly, the design is a fine adaptation of the original art. The obverse carries a portrait of the artist, Bouguereau, surrounded by the usual issue inscriptions. All together, a nice release for the fine art fan, and one that follows this producer’s Leda and the Swan release from a few months ago. Not many dealers have these, but we noted Coins & More has it in stock.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	LEP MINTAGE
2,000 Francs CFA (Cameroon)	62.2 g of 0.999 silver	50.0 mm	Antique	500

The Nightmare Before Christmas 30th Anniversary 1 oz silver coin (2023 New Zealand Mint)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-27T17:04:07+01:00October 27th, 2023|

The animated classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas’, released in 1993, and directed by Tim Burton, has already received some attention in numismatic circles, notably by the New Zealand Mint. Those coins garnered some impressive appreciation on the aftermarket, so clearly, the film has its fans.

Fast-forward to October 2023, and the mint is back with a new, and more ambitious release. The main character, Jack Skellington, has donated the shape of his head to the coin, with high-relief, and an antique finish rounding it out. The eye sockets carry images of Jack, and his main squeeze, Sally. It’s all quite charming.

Neat packaging, as you’d expect from this mint, a sub-$100 RRP, and a relatively small mintage for a one-ounce coin, mean this will no doubt be very appealing to one of the movie’s legions of fans. Available now.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	LEP MINTAGE
$2 NZD (Niue)	31.1 g of 0.999 silver	40.0 x 40.48 mm	Antique	1,993

Raymond Briggs: The Snowman coin range (2023 The Royal Mint)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-23T00:06:58+01:00October 23rd, 2023|

A perennial classic, the Raymond Briggs classic children’s tale, The Snowman, has adorned a Christmas fifty pence coin at the Royal Mint since 2018. Not one of the more extravagant ranges, it’s always been a simple affair, with a gold proof, a coloured silver proof, and a pair of base-metal coins, and so it is for 2023..

The design is, again, by long-time Raymond Briggs collaborator, Robin Shaw, Assistant Director of The Snowman and The Snowdog, the sequel to the original animated adaptation of the book, so clearly in good hands. The artwork is bang on point, as always, and we expect fans of the work to be happy with this one. Available later today. We’ve covered the previous five coins on site.

PRESS RELEASE: The Royal Mint has launched an officially licensed, collectable 50p coin celebrating Raymond Briggs’ iconic picture book The Snowman™ with a new design by award-winning illustrator and animator, Robin Shaw. The coin is the sixth to be added to The Royal Mint’s Christmas coin series celebrating Raymond Briggs’ timeless, magical tale of a young boy and his snowman. The story began as a wordless picture book, created, and illustrated by the late Raymond Briggs in 1978. Published by Puffin, The Snowman has sold over 5.5million copies around the world. This will also be the first coin celebrating THE WORLD OF THE SNOWMAN to feature the official coinage portrait of King Charles III.

Following the popularity of the series, the 2023 design tells the magical story of James, who builds a snowman that magically comes to life. Both embark on an unforgettable adventure. The dedicated design team at The Royal Mint combine traditional craftsmanship with innovative digital colour printing technology to bring the design to life, keeping true to the hand drawn, nostalgic quality of Robin Shaw’s sketches, which are inspired by Raymond Brigg’s original illustrations.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	LEP MINTAGE
£0.5 UKP (United Kingdom)	15.5 g of 0.9167 gold	27.3 mm	Proof	100
£0.5 UKP (United Kingdom)	8.0 g of 0.925 silver	27.3 mm	Coloured Proof	5,000
£0.5 UKP (United Kingdom)	8.0 g of CuNi	27.3 mm	Coloured B/Unc	10,000
£0.5 UKP (United Kingdom)	8.0 g of CuNi	27.3 mm	B/Unc	Unlimited

World of Cryptids 10 Jinn silver coin (2023 Lithuanian Mint)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-19T17:00:20+01:00October 19th, 2023|

The tenth of twelve coins in the unusually styled ‘World of Cryptids’ series, based on the work of Lithuanian artist, Laimutė Varkalaitė, is now available to order, and features the Jinn. A popular series here, and seemingly with collectors, it encompasses 12 mythical creatures released one-per-month over a year.

You can see all the released designs in our full Coin Series Profile. The next issues will be a Wendigo, and the Yeti, rounding out the series over the rest of 2023. They can be bought direct from the Lithuanian Mint HERE, or from various dealers for €119.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$2 NZD (Niue)	31.1 g of 0.999 silver	40.0 mm	Antique, colour	1,000

Aztec Sun Stone stackable gilded 1kg silver bullion (2023 Coin’s Today / Chitown Coins)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-17T01:24:02+01:00October 17th, 2023|

We often wax lyrical about the stackable silver bullion range of South Korean producer, Coin’s Today, and for good reason. Encompassing a massive breadth of subjects, and sizes ranging from half-ounce to a kilo, there’s something for every taste, and with them being non-denominated bullion, they remain relatively affordable.

One of them, released in August 2022, was a reproduction of the famed Aztec Sun Stone in two-ounce, antiqued form. A pretty piece, it was followed by a kilogram variant in July this year. Now, in conjunction with the distributor, Chitown Coins, they’ve released very limited versions with a gilded finish instead of antiqued, You can read the design backstory in our earlier articles.

While the earlier 2 oz antique variant had an unlimited mintage, this gilded version is capped at just 500, so considerably more collectible. While the antique kilo had a mintage of only 333 pieces, the gilded version is capped at a positively microscopic 99, the lowest for a CT stackable, This was a pretty piece of bullion before, and remains so, with enhanced collectability because of the low mintages. The kilo is also impressive for its gargantuan 150 mm diameter.

If you want one, don’t hang around, as apparently, Chitown have almost sold out of the kilo. Available to order now.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
None	62.2 g of 0.999 silver	60 mm	Gilded, high-relief	500
None	1000.0 g of 0.999 silver	150 mm	Gilded, high-relief	99

Eagle Golf ball marker 15 g silver (2023 Coin’s Today)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-16T14:05:05+01:00October 16th, 2023|

Not our usual thing, but something we figured would have appeal to quite a few readers, South Korean producer Coin’s Today has released a silver golf-ball marker. One of the most popular sports in the world today, we’re sure this will find a place in many a golfers bag.

Struck in 15 grams of fine silver, and with a magnet embedded in the obverse side, it depicts an eagle. That’s appropriate enough, given an ‘eagle’ is the golf term for shooting a hole two under par. It’s a neat depiction, and all antique-finished, which not only looks good, but offers some protection against tarnishing.

The presentation is the key here, with a magnetic strap that can be folded to grasp a cap, which allows you to pop the eagle ball-marker off when you need it. Everything comes in a neat box, making a fine present for the golfer with delusions of actually getting an eagle on the course…

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
None	15.0 g of 0.999 silver	30 mm	Antique, high-relief	unlimited

Thanos Marvel Mega Chibi 2oz silver coin (2023 New Zealand Mint)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-11T13:41:30+01:00October 11th, 2023|

Yesterday saw the release of one of the considerably rarer, two-ounce silver Chibi coins, that the mint has dubbed Mega-Chibi. Despite the standard Chibi range now numbering over 130 releases, the number of the bigger variants is still in single figures. Thanos is the second in the Marvel subseries, following the Incredible Hulk coin, and depicts the big bad from Phase 3, widely considered the best run of films to date. You can see this coin in our Chibi Coin Series Profile. Available now with a mintage of 999 pieces.

Also out last week was one of the mints many one-off, one-ounce, coloured silver coins. The Marvels is the sequel to the hit Captain Marvel film from 2019, and while early buzz has been fairly negative, a coin was inevitable. Brie Larsen returns, but has to share the limelight with two others. The superhero movie bubble has definitely burst, with only rare stand-outs (Guardians of the Galaxy 3 was awesome!), so how many of these there will be going forward is anyone’s guess.

The coin is a reliable design, as you would expect from a mint that knows its market, so the appeal to fans remains, and the packaging is as fine as it’s always been. The coin has been added to our comprehensive Thematic Guide to Marvel Coins. If you’re planning to buy either from the mint, please click the banner ad below The Marvels image, as we get a small commission at no cost to you.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$5 NZD (Niue)	62.2 g of 0.999 silver	45 x 34 mm	Proof, colour, shaped	999
$2 NZD (Niue)	31.1 g of 0.999 silver	40.0 mm	Proof, colour	2,023

Lifelong Journey: Loggerhead Sea Turtle silver coin (2023 Mint XXI)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-03T22:43:16+01:00October 3rd, 2023|

A new series of two-ounce silver coins from talented producer, Mint XXI, has debuted with the ever-reliable natural world as its theme. The series is called ‘Lifelong Journey’, and will document some of the amazing endeavours, particularly migrations, that turtles sometimes go through as part of their natural lives.

This series, as you would expect from Mint XXI, is considerably more ambitious, and exotic, employing coloured resin, high-relief, and hi-res colour on both faces. The first coin features the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, and starts out on the obverse with a scene showing a newly hatched turtle, running over a beach to the relative safety of the sea. A nice depiction, and the coloured sea is a nice touch.

The reverse face is the star, however, with a high-relief depiction of a Loggerhead filling this face. It’s beautifully coloured on the shell, with everything else antique finished. The raised rim helps to border a translucent blue epoxy resin infill, much like MDM’s ‘Underwater World’ series did, although here, the border is much more delicate, and the face is more expansive as a result. The ripples, struck into the underlying silver, look excellent.

We’re quite excited by the unusual subject and the concept, and there are hints that future entrants will showcase various species, both terrestrial, and aquatic. Kudos to Mint XXI for the idea. The coin has a mintage of 500 pieces, and will come in a latex-skin display frame, which will be better for displaying a coin with two unique faces. Available to order now.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$2 NZD (Niue)	62.2 g of 0.999 silver	50.0 mm	Antique, colour	500

Egyptian Symbols II: The Scarab silver coin (2023 Numiartis)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-03T12:03:43+01:00October 3rd, 2023|

It was back in mid-2021 that Numiartis debuted a second series of Egyptian Symbols coins with Bastet, the cat god, featuring a black cat in full Ancient Egyptian garb on its reverse, itself following a first series that ran from 2014 to 2017. Beautifully detailed, and enhanced with CIT’s proprietary Smartminting technology, it was an attractive look at a very popular numismatic subject.

The second coin has finally arrived, and depicts a beautiful scarab, an iconic symbol in this culture. The key here is obviously the impressive colouring, with that oil slick, metallic colouration on the beetle’s carapace, and the graduated colours on what would have been the gemstone-encrusted jewellery wings. You can definitely imagine Nefertiti wearing it.

Both the rest of this reverse face, and the entirety of the obverse, are covered in various elements, with the latter’s temple room absolutely packed with detailing. It’s good to see the obverse change so completely from the first coin, rather than being common to the series. The antique finishing is a staple of this genre, and for good reason.

Just 500 of these three-ounce coins will be struck, and each will be boxed with a certificate of Authenticity. A pretty coin, it should be available to order any time now.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$20 (Palau)	93.3 g of 0.999 silver	55.0 mm	Antique, colour, gilding	500

NUMIARTIS

Barbados Trident 1oz silver bullion coin (2023 Scottsdale Mint)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-03T06:47:02+01:00October 3rd, 2023|

One of the prolific bullion publisher’s, Scottsdale Mint’s core ranges, the Barbados Trident launched in 2017, and has just issued its seventh annual release. One of the bigger mintage series in this producer’s portfolio, it’s been a popular one, so much so, that the 2023 silver coin has seen numbers jump from 30,000 pieces, to 50,000.

This isn’t one of the more visually ambitious series in their range, as the simple trident symbol has remained essentially untouched over the last seven years. However, each release does differ, and in quite a clever way. Here, the background field is different, and we’ve seen a mix of geometric patterns, and waves/ripples, on an alternating basis. This year, it’s a geometric one, with hints of a mollusc shell, perhaps.

The one-ounce silver coin is released this week, but there will be one-ounce, and tenth-ounce 0.9999 gold variants coming soon. The biggest of those is seeing a curtailed mintage, and the smaller will be more populous, and replaces the fifth-ounce variant we got in 2021. The silver coin should be available to order now, and the gold should debut soon.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$1 (Barbados)	31.1 g of 0.999 silver	38.6 mm	Brilliant Uncirculated	50,000

SCOTTSDALE MINT

Mary Seacole commemoration silver & gold coins (2023 Royal Mint)

Mik Woodgate2023-10-02T00:41:52+01:00October 2nd, 2023|

Born in Jamaica in 1805, Mary Jane Seacole was the daughter of a Scottish officer in the British Army, and spent most of her first 50 years in the Caribbean, and in Central America, often providing nursing assistance in the region. She found her way in 1855, to the Crimean War, where she opened an establishment to aid British troops with food, medical aid, and supplies, which she paid for out of her own pocket. She was widely regarded, and returned to Jamaica in 1860, and then back to London a decade later.

The coin, from the Royal Mint, is based on a photograph of Seacole taken around 1850 and is a fine reproduction of it. The portrait is overlaid on a Union Jack, the symbol of the country she did so much to aid in the second half of her life, one she documented in her autobiography, ‘The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole’.

There are three £5 coins in the range, headed by a 22 kt gold version. Two sterling silver coins make up the more affordable offerings, both with the same diameter, with one being a double-thickness piedfort. All carry an inscription on their edge, which reads “THE ONE WHO NURSED HER SICK’. All are boxed with a COA, and will be available to order later today.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
£5 UKP	39.94 g of 0.9167 gold	38.61 mm	Proof	125
£5 UKP	28.28 g of 0.925 silver	38.61 mm	Proof	1,500
£5 UKP	56.56 g of 0.925 silver	38.61 mm	Proof	750

September, 2023

Eternal Sculptures II: Lady Godiva silver coin (2024 Powercoin)

Mik Woodgate2023-09-30T14:11:39+01:00September 28th, 2023|

Wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, Lady Godiva became an icon because of the legend that she rode naked on horseback through the streets of Coventry. With her modesty only maintained through the judicious placement of her long flowing hair, she rode her horse to get remission from the oppressive taxes her husband had placed upon his tenants. Her tale has inspired much art through history.

One of the most impressive is a marble statue of Lady Godiva on a horse, currently residing in the Maidstone Museum in Kent, UK. Depicting the naked lady upon her horse, it was sculpted in the mid-19th century by renowned artist, John Thomas (yes, a naked woman was sculpted by a John Thomas – British humour…). A beautiful piece, and a worthy subject for Powercoin’s Eternal Sculptors II.

We’ve long been admirers of this range, from the debut of the first series of five coins (plus a special) back in 2016, and it returned in 2022, where it moved from a marble-effect colouring, to a metallic one. The coin, especially on the reverse face where she is mounted on horseback, is another fine example of the type, filled with fine detailing. The obverse takes us in for a closer look at the lady. The combination of black proof finish, and metallic colour, works superbly.

Boxed, with a COA, the coin has a mintage of 499 pieces, and is available to order now, with shipping in March 2024. The previous coins, Moses, and Disillusion, are still available.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$20 (Palau)	93.3 g of 0.9999 silver	50.0 mm	Black proof, colour	499

Reindeer PEZ bullion silver set (2023 MTB / PAMP)

Mik Woodgate2023-09-22T12:52:09+01:00September 22nd, 2023|

Famed candy, PEZ, made the transition to silver bullion in 2019 with great success, and given we’re still here for this ninth release, with continuing success as well. The premise is simple enough. Reproduce the original candy blocks in silver to an identical size, which makes them compatible with hundreds of original dispensers produced over many decades, but also supply each set with a custom dispenser of its own.

The blocks are undenominated, and to differentiate each issue, they’re marked with a unique privy, in this case a reindeer head. The reindeer dispenser and themed packaging rounds out the offering. Each set contains six of the five-gram silver blocks, so just shy of a troy ounce in total. Earlier issues have sold out quite quickly, so the 3,000 mintage is a realistic one.

We could go on, but we have a full Coin Series Profile of the whole range, which I’ve just tidied up to make it easier to read.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
None	5.0 g of 0.999 silver x 6	15.0 x 8.0 mm	Reverse proof	3,000

MTB / PAMP

Garden of Hespirides silver coin (2023 Mint of Poland)

Mik Woodgate2023-09-20T20:46:46+01:00September 20th, 2023|

The Garden of Hesperides is a mythical paradise steeped in ancient Greek lore. Located at the western edge of the world, this garden was said to be home to the Hesperides, nymphs who tended to the exquisite golden apples on a sacred tree. These apples were believed to grant immortality to those who partook of their fruit.

The garden was not only a place of extraordinary beauty but also symbolized the boundary between the mortal realm and the divine. It was guarded by a fierce dragon named Ladon, making access to its treasures incredibly challenging. The tales of Hercules’ eleventh labour are closely associated with the garden, as he was tasked with obtaining one of these coveted golden apples.

The coin is one of this mints classic two-ounce, antiqued silver efforts, replete with high-relief, and depicts Nymphs intertwined with a serpent, laying on the ground of the garden. In an unusual change for the mint, the antique finishing is applied in two shades, with the main characters done in a standard black finish, and the rest done in blue. The apples on the tree are picked out with gilding.

It all looks decent enough, and the mixed antiquing has future potential, for sure. The obverse is a standard one for a Niue issue. The coin comes in a latex-skin ‘floating frame’, and has a mintage of 500 pieces. It’s available to order now.

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$5 NZD (Niue)	62.2 g of 0.999 silver	50.0 mm	Dual antiqued, gilding	500

MINT OF POLAND

Martini Cocktail 10 gram silver coin (2023 MDM Wholesale)

Mik Woodgate2023-09-19T19:52:47+01:00September 19th, 2023|

While the term had been around in British circles since the 1790’s, the name ‘cocktail’ was finally defined in 1806 by The Balance and Columbian Repository of Hudson, New York, who stated it is “A stimulating liquor composed of any kind of sugar, water, and bitters.”. Since then, it’s developed into a huge cultural phenomenon, with bars creating their own distinctive concoctions, and the industry having their own stars, sometimes called mixologists.

One of the classics of the cocktail world is the Martini, a mix of gin and vermouth, garnished with olives. There are variations, with the most famous, the Vodka Martini, replacing the gin with vodka. That one is famous as James Bond’s tipple of choice. Even the glass is iconic, with a long stem to keep the drink colder for longer, and a deep ‘V’ shape to allow for maximum aeration, allowing it to become more aromatic.

The coin is shaped just like that glass, filled with a frosted drink, and with three enamel-coloured olives on a cocktail stick. We have to admit, it’s a neat way to celebrate a cultural legend, and can see nothing to criticise here, and it has tons of potential to develop into a series. It’s only ten grams in weight, but comes in a themed blistercard, having a mintage of 1,806 pieces. We’ve seen prices under €60, so it won’t break the bank, either. Available to order now, it should ship around the end of October. Bottoms up!

DENOMINATION	COMPOSITION	DIMENSIONS	FINISH	MINTAGE
$1 (Samoa)	10.0 g of 0.999 silver	30.0 x 50.0 mm	Proof-like, colour enamel	1,806

MDM WHOLESALE

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