November, 2020
THE ARCHANGEL URIEL (2020, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-11-05T13:19:32+00:00November 5th, 2020|
THE ARCHANGEL URIEL (2020, NZ Mint)
Reproducing some stained-glass windows created by Mary Hutchinson in 1920 for Britain’s Hull Minster, the New Zealand Mints ‘Archangels’ series has now concluded with the release of the fourth and last coin. We’ve already had Gabriel, Michael and Raphael, and it falls to Uriel to round it all out.
Each of these one-ounce silver coins of 36 x 53 mm in size is struck to a proof finish and has a coloured image of the striking glass original on the reverse face. The obverse is a simple effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, as you would expect of the NZ Mint. Available from today for a slightly increased price of $89.00 USD. The mintage remains at 2,000 pieces. and the presentation is as good as it ever was.
LINKS: DEBUT COIN IN THE SERIES
October, 2020
AUSTRALIAN SHIPWRECKS: VERGULDE DRAECK ANTIQUED (2020 Royal Australian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-10-26T16:34:10+00:00October 26th, 2020|
AUSTRALIAN SHIPWRECKS: VERGALDE DRAECK ANTIQUED (2020 Royal Australian Mint)
The second of the Royal Australian Mint’s triangular bullion coin series, Australian Shipwrecks, is now available with an antique finish. Following the Batavia , this one is the Vergulde Draeck, which debuted in gold and silver bullion form back in the more blissful month of January. That one had mintages of 20,000 silver and 250 gold coin, but this antique silver variant is capped at just 1,000 pieces.
The antique finish suits the coin a lot, in my opinion. An exclusive from Hong Kong based dealer, LPM We have a comprehensive Bullion Coin Profiles to the series, where you can see images of all the releases to date, including this one. Available now.
STAR WARS: R2-D2 CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-10-10T20:59:29+01:00October 26th, 2020|
STAR WARS: R2-D2 CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
On we go with our journey through the New Zealand Mint’s land of chibi, with the debut today of the third Star Wars Chibi coin, and the tenth overall in the the three series range. Probably the most popular of the three (the others are DC Comics and Harry Potter), we put that down to the iconic and distinctive characters that take to the chibi style with such ease.
Obviously, R2-D2 is a hugely popular character from the movies, one that has been in almost all of them, so we’re expecting this one to follow Chewbacca aand Darth Vader into a quick sell-out. A one-ounce coin with a 2,000 mintage and a $95.00 USD pricetag, it comes beautifully presented and in a custom capsule. WHile we do get a little tired of writing about these (the release schedule is quite intense), I’m the first to admit this is a quirky and unique coin range that has been realised with great expertise. Dumbledore comes next week. Check out our continually updated guide to the series at the link below.
LINKS: COIN SERIES PROFILE TO THE CHIBI RANGE
DC COMICS: GREEN LANTERN CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-10-10T20:25:09+01:00October 19th, 2020|
DC COMICS: GREEN LANTERN CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
Back for our weekly dive into chibi-land, this time it is the turn of DC Comics legend, Green Lantern to do the honours. A terrific little coin, complete with emerald ring, it will join Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash in the range to date, although more are coming.
A 2,000 mintage and 1oz fine silver weight have been the norm for this series and there’s no change here. Available today for $95.00 USD. Next week will see a famous Star Wars droid make its debut, with Dumbledore dropping a week later. Check out our guide to the series below.
LINKS: COIN SERIES PROFILE TO THE CHIBI RANGE
PRINCESS GRACE OF MONACO BU ( 2020, ALLCOLLECT)
Mik Woodgate2020-10-13T21:04:19+01:00October 14th, 2020|
PRINCESS GRACE OF MONACO BU ( 2020, ALLCOLLECT)
Not a well known bullion coin producer, AllCollect have mainly confined their efforts in the field to their semi-numismatic ‘Predators’ range of sixteen coins. Their latest effort is another one that skirts the traditional bullion coin market, rather than diving right in. A higher-end bullion coin, with a 6,500 mintage, a 1 oz weight and a Certificate of Authenticity for each one, it nevertheless sells in the comparitively competitive sub-€40 market.
The subject is one that takes a rare subject for a bullion coin – an individual personality. Princess Grace of Monaco, also known as the Oscar-winning Hollywood legend, Grace Kelly, has long been an icon of elegance. Classically beautiful, talented, and with a fairytale life, she cemented her status in popular culture much like James Dean did, when she was killed in a car crash at the early age of 52. She also made a prophetic comment that rings particularly true today, “Hollywood amuses me. Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality.”
The coin looks okay. We can’t say the image particularly screams ‘Grace Kelly’, and when you take on an iconic figure, you need to be on the mark. There are two privy marks, one celebrating 65 years since her Oscar win, and the other for 60 years since getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s great to see different subjects like this get a look into a market dominated by national personifications and the natural world, but we’d like to see a more individualistic portrayal than this. We’ll try to get one to look at and photograph.
LINKS: GRACE KELLY BIOGRAPHY
WIZARDING UNIVERSE: RON WEASLEY CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-10-10T19:59:38+01:00October 12th, 2020|
WIZARDING UNIVERSE: RON WEASLEY CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
After a weeks break, the New Zealand Mint’s Chibi coin tsunami continues apace. This weeks issue is the eighth overall, and the third to take a dip into J.K. Rowling’s inventive ‘Harry Potterverse’. We get the impression that the DC Comics and Star Wars Chibi series are a bit more popular, probably because the Potter characters are considerably more ‘normal’ looking,
The latest issue is the sidekick of the bunch, Ron Weasley, and it’s hard to find fault with the implementation of the character. The same 2,000 mintage and 1oz fine silver weight are here again, as is the fine quality presentation. Available today for $95.00 USD. A DC superhero next week, followed the week after by a droid… Check out our guide to the series below.
LINKS: COIN SERIES PROFILE TO THE CHIBI RANGE
DINOSAURS: 04 STEGOSAURUS ( NEW ZEALAND MINT)
Mik Woodgate2020-10-05T13:00:49+01:00October 5th, 2020|
DINOSAURS: 04 STEGOSAURUS ( NEW ZEALAND MINT)
The New Zealand Mint’s journey through the ever-popular world of prehistoric life continues with the release of their fourth ‘Dinosaurs’ coin. Following Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops and a Pterodactyl (despite it not being a dinosaur…), is Stegosaurus. The mint has a knack of picking the most well known and popular species and there are plenty of others left unpicked, like Brontosaurus, Allosaurus and Ankylosaurus, for example.
Same format as before, as you’d expect. An ounce of 0.999 silver, antique-finished with colour highligting. A neat design with the coloured beast sitting in a detailed cleanly struck habitat. The obverse is a bog-standard effigy of QEII, so nothing exciting there. Packaging is very well done (great looking shipper art!) and the mintage of 2,000 isn’t excessive. Available now for around $89.00 USD.
LINKS: PTERODACTYL COIN
September, 2020
75TH ANNIVERSARY OF RUSSIAN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY (2020, Russia)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-30T18:10:45+01:00September 30th, 2020|
75TH ANNIVERSARY OF RUSSIAN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY ( CENTRAL BANK OF RUSSIA)
The Central Bank of Russia is marking 75 years since it set up a Soviet nuclear industry. In typical Russian style, it had an epic name – First Chief Directorate under the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union. Creating weapons first – a sign of the times – and then moving into general technological applications, they were the first to build a power station and a nuclear-powered icebreaker ship. They claim that Russia’s nuclear power stations provide almost 20% of the countries power, without carbon emissions.
The coin is a typical CBR design, being very ‘matter of fact’ in presentation. There’s no mistaking what this is about, but it does so with little artistic flair. That’s a shame as Russian ice-breakers are amazing things to see. The design incorporates ‘the Arktika nuclear-powered icebreaker, the Novovoronezh nuclear power station and the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power station against the background of a stylised picture of the model of the atom’. Just the number 75 is coloured.
It’s a proof finish, one-ounce sterling silver coin with a 3,000 mintage. The beautiful bicephalous eagle obverse is here, of course, and it has a 3 Ruble denomination. An interesting subject that the CBR has visited before, but one we feel deserved a bit more of an adventurous approach.
LINKS: PREVIOUS RUSSIAN RELEASE WITH NUCLEAR THEME
KISKUNSAG NATIONAL PARK (2020, HUNGARIAN MINT)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-30T01:15:23+01:00September 30th, 2020|
2020 KISKUNSAG NATIONAL PARK (HUNGARIAN MINT)
A pretty new issue from the Hungarian Mint showcases Kiskunság National Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve covering an area of around 570km² across the Little Cumania (Kiskunság) region of the Great Hungarian Plain. Known for its shifting dunes and as a bird-watchers paradise, home as it is to many species of migratory birds. The Pied Avocet is one of the more famous residents, so its choice as the coins focus is a sound one. It’s actually a very nice depiction indeed, the use of floating flora and a reflection firmly grounding the bird in its habitat, and the sense of depth as the detail fades out into the background is expertly handled.
The obverse has a wider view of the park with the dunes in evidence, although there would be little to associate this with the park specifically if you were unaware of them. It does make a neat backdrop to the reverse face and overall, we like this Gábor Kereszthury designed coin a lot. It weighs in at an ounce of 0.925 sterling silver and is proof finished, with a 39.6 x 26.4 mm size. The mintage is capped at 5,000 pieces and it’s available now. In a particularly nice touch, it sells for under €30, which is a refreshing change these days.
LINKS: HUNGARIAN MINT PAGE
STAR WARS CHEWBACCA CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-28T00:40:34+01:00September 28th, 2020|
STAR WARS: CHEWBACCA CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
Our weekly dive into the New Zealand Mints super rapid release schedule of Chibi coins in the run up to Christmas, continues. This week it’s the turn of Star Wars to get its second issue. Darth Vader kicked it off and Chewbacca now carries the torch for the tarnished movie franchise.
It’s another cool design, clearly aimed at a specific market. We’re not going to go into detail on these every time a new one drops, so head on over to our full Coin Series Profile of the range for more details. A 2,000 mintage, an ounce of fine silver in weight, and a $95.00 USD pricetag mark this seventh in the series to date. We’ll have to wait two weeks for the next debut – one in the Harry Potter sub-series.
LINKS: COIN SERIES PROFILE TO THE CHIBI RANGE
DC COMICS THE FLASH CHIBI (2020, NZ MINT)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-21T18:08:14+01:00September 21st, 2020|
DC COMICS: THE FLASH CHIBI (2020, NZ Mint)
The New Zealand Mint’s latest Chibi coin is here, and with another ten due to drop before the end of 2020, it’s a place we’ll obviously visiting pretty often (we like these!). Based on the Japanese big-headed ‘Super-deformed; cultural style, they reinterprete characters from three of the mints big franchises – DC Comics, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
The latest addition is the third in the Star Wars collection, The Flash, following Batman and Wonder Woman. Struck in an ounce of fine silver with colour on the reverse face, these Niuian coins have a mintage of 2,000 pieces each. This is the sixth Chibi release overall, and previous issues looked very popular, with Batman and Darth Vader seemingly well sought after. Nicely packaged and available today. Check out our Coin Series Profile for a look at the whole range to date and what is coming.
LINKS: COIN SERIES PROFILE TO THE CHIBI RANGE
400 YEARS OF THE MAYFLOWER (2020, Pobjoy Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-17T12:56:14+01:00September 17th, 2020|
400 YEARS OF THE MAYFLOWER (POBJOY MINT)
The epic voyage of The Mayflower four centuries ago has remained an inspirational tale to many, but there have been surprisingly few numismatic issues commemorating it. One of those participating was the British Pobjoy Mint, who released a limited run of silver bullion coins featuring the ship under full sail. This was exclusively distributed by US dealer, APMEX.
That design is now back in higher quality form with a very limited issue of just 102 pieces. The weight has doubled to two ounces, and we now enjoy a proof quality, ultra-high relief strike. We only have the usual renders at present, but it looks highly promising with its gilded sails. Definitely a coin we’d like to see real world images of. It comes in a walnut box with a C.O.A. and is available to order now.
Also available now is a minigold (0.5 gram) sporting a simplified version of the same design – understandable given the 11 mm diameter. Also proof finished and boxed, it stands out for its really tiny mintage of just 99 pieces, which is easily one of the lowest mintage minigold coins we’ve seen.
AUSTRALIAN SHIPWRECKS: BATAVIA (2019, Royal Australian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-15T20:01:27+01:00September 15th, 2020|
AUSTRALIAN SHIPWRECKS: BATAVIA (2019, Royal Australian Mint)
The Royal Australian Mint’s innovative and attractive triangular bullion coin series has recently seen its third issue, but we’re heading back to the first of them for this latest release. Batavia came out last year with it’s standard 20,000 silver and 250 gold coin mintages and is back in very limited form with an antique finish. The same one-ounce 0.999 silver composition is in evidence again, and the coin remains identical in terms of design, except for the antique finish, but the mintage is capped at a relatively tiny 1,000 pieces.
It does look good, with the finish seeming to fit the theme very well. As before, this is an exclusive from Hong Kong based dealer, LPM who have also imparted some sad news for the Australian Shipwrecks series. We’ve had three designs to date and there’s just one more to go before it wraps up. The antiqued versions will also go for the full four-coin run as well. We’ve also produced one of our Bullion Coin Profiles to the series, where you can see images of all the releases to date, including this one.
HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN POSTER (2020, NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-14T14:17:29+01:00September 14th, 2020|
HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN POSTER (NZ MINT)
The Harry Potter behemoth is back in the coin world with the release of the third movie poster coin in the New Zealand Mints series of seven. Having its premiere in 2004, the movie went on to gross $796.7 million worldwide, and picked up a pair of Oscar nominations on the way. A darker movie than the first two, it’s considered by many to be one of the best in the run.
Nothing out of the ordinary with this one-ounce, fine silver coin. A simple reproduction of the original movie poster is what we expected, and is what the NZ Mint has delivered. These are actually very nice coins for the movie memorabilia collector, offering a compact and classy way to display the poster art without having a giant house, and without telling everyone that visits that you’re a Harry Potter fan… As before, a 5,000 mintage and wrapped up in one of the superb acrylic frames that the NZM uses with growing regularity. Available from today for around $89.00 USD.
AFRICAN WILDLIFE: SOMALI ELEPHANT BULLION (2021, Emporium Hamburg)
Mik Woodgate2020-09-10T13:50:29+01:00September 10th, 2020|
SOMALI ELEPHANT BULLION COIN ( BAYER MINT)
Now an old stalwart of the annual bullion coin release calendar, the Somali Elephant, also called the African Wildlife, is rapidly closing in on its 20th anniversary. First appearing in 2004, the coin features a depiction of an elephant in various poses and has seen some fine designs over the years. However, recent years have exhibited a relative lack of variety in the artwork used, to the stage than for one issue they actually just mirror-reversed an earlier design.
Fortunately, no such qualms for the 2021 coin, which has stepped up a gear, in my opinion. The image of the elephant looking out of the coin, extending over the border, is one of the best we’ve seen for some years and hopefully heralds a more adventurous design ethos moving forward. The obverse design – the emblem of Somalia – is the same common one that’s been used for years now.
There’s a core 1oz silver and a 1oz gold coin in the range, both at 0.9999 fineness and with open mintages, but also a whole range of other sizes, right down to a 0.5 gram minigold and up to a 1 kg silver. There will likely be the usual range of proof and modified coins as well. I think it’s about time we brought back our now deprecated guide to this series, but it’s one we’ve always had issues getting decent high-resolution images of. We’ll try again. Available to order now, a terrific new design in a series that has been showing some aesthetic stagnation over the last few years.
LINKS: BAYERISCHES HAUPTMUNZAMT