March, 2021
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
THE MANDALORIAN – CARA DUNE (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-04T23:51:16+00:00March 4th, 2021|
THE MANDALORIAN - CARA DUNE (2021 NZ Mint)
The second ‘The Mandalorian’ coin is already out from the New Zealand Mint and depicts Cara Dune, as played by Gina Carano. This could be a particularly popular coin given that Carano has been effectively ‘fired by social media’ for some, admittedly crass and badly written, Twitter posts. A huge shame as she played the character very well and comes across as a charismatic actress, but that’s the times we live in sadly.
The coin follows the style of the debut release, with a drawn image of the character, rather than a photographic one, and it’s unmistakenly Carano. Fans will want to snap up this one-ounce silver coin, but there are only 2,000 pieces being made available, with purchase limits on them from the start. It’s up for sale on the mint site for $95 USD now, and will no doubt show up on dealer websites very shortly.
LINKS: NZ MINT WEBSTORE
DISCOVERING DINOSAURS: REAPER OF DEATH (2021 Royal Canadian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-03-03T16:13:10+00:00March 3rd, 2021|
DISCOVERING DINOSAURS: REAPER OF DEATH (2021 Royal Canadian Mint)
It was a Canadian dinosaur coin that started my interest in coins some years ago, so any new release from the mint is always of interest here. It helps that large parts of Canada, particularly Alberta, are home to some quite extraordinary fossils, both in quality and quantity, and the mint has always been welcoming of new discoveries.
Fortunately, those new discoveries are sometimes quite spectacular, in this case a new Tyrannosaurid species named Thanatotheristes degrootorum, although it may yet be that it’s reclassified as a Daspletosaurus (another Tyrannosaurid). The RCM has wasted no time on getting the toothy behemoth on a coin and has produced an attractive piece, concentrating, as we particularly like here, on the fossil rather than the ‘fleshed-out’ animal.
It helps that Julius Csotonyi, a very talented paleoartist, has done the honours, with verification from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. This is a similar approach used by the Royal Mint for their recent ‘Mary Anning’ collection, and works exceptionally well. The coin is a matte proof one-ounce silver piece with black Rhodium plating and a 7,500 mintage. Available now for $109.95 CAD, we hope this is the first of a series, rather than a one-off.
February, 2021
CHIBI CATWOMAN & MANDALORIAN: THE CHILD (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-02-22T22:01:34+00:00February 21st, 2021|
COIN NAME ( MINT)
Chibi again. We cover these because they’re hugely popular, but they come at such a rate that it’s hard to get excited each time. That changed a little earlier this month with the release of Frodo Baggins, the first Lord of the Rings release, and continues doubly so today with the launch of the debut ‘The Mandalorian’ Chibi coin.
Who better to kick that off than the biggest star in TV of the last two years, Baby Yoda/The Child/Grogu? As a character, Grogu has gone supernova in popular culture, so we’re expecting this one to be a huge hit, sell out quick, and then skyrocket on the secondary market. Oh, Catwoman came out as well… Available to order now.
LINKS: AgAuNEWS PROFILE OF THE CHIBI SERIES
GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE: KNIGHTS OF REN (2021 NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-02-20T13:32:26+00:00February 20th, 2021|
GUARDS OF THE EMPIRE: KNIGHTS OF REN (2021 NZ Mint)
One of the better coloured coin series in the New Zealand Mint’s copious Star Wars output, Guards of the Empire highlights all the mysterious forces that helped hold the Empire together. There have been four coins to date and this latest is the fifth. The Knights of Ren were a small group of Force adepts that served and protected Kylo Ren, although they were secretly loyal to Darth Sidious, the former Emperor Palpatine. They were killed by Kylo Ren.
These rectangular one-ounce coins are antique-finished with colour highlighting on the reverse face. The NZ Mint has issued a lot of Star Wars coins, usually featuring the more commonly known subjects, so this series stands out, not just for being attractive coins in their own right, but for showcasing lesser known aspects of this expansive movie franchise. A mintage of 2,000 pieces and a RRP of $99 USD are pretty standard for this genre, and it’s available now. We’ve added it to our comprehensive guide to the Star Wars coins of the NZ Mint.
LINKS: STAR WARS COIN SUPERGUIDE
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: JACK SKELLINGTON (2021, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2021-02-17T13:17:11+00:00February 17th, 2021|
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: JACK SKELLINGTON (2021, NZ Mint)
We were pleasantly surprised recently when we saw the New Zealand Mints Valentine’s themed Nightmare Before Christmas coin. Tim Burton’s hugely inventive and unique film has been a perennial favourite in the movie world and the visual style is distinctive enough to transition to a coin with little problem. The mint has followed up the Valentines coin with a character design featuring the ‘star’ of the movie, Jack Skellington.
A rectangular, 1oz 0.999 silver coin with an antique finish, it holds a coloured image of Jack at its centre, with a border framing it to look like a painting. There’s lots of custom patterns and headstones in that space, feeding the narrative. Packaging is the usual book-style box, which we’re huge fans off, but with a clear window on the cover. Mintage is set at 3,000 pieces.
A neat release that takes aim at Burton fans and pretty much hits the target. Available now for $95.00 USD
LINKS: PREVIOUS COIN IN THE SERIES