September, 2025
Pioneers of Swiss Aviation 20 gram silver coin (2025 Swiss Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-25T18:07:51+01:00September 25th, 2025|
Pioneers of Swiss Aviation 20 gram silver coin (2025 Swiss Mint)
It’s been a while since we wrote about a Swiss Mint release, but it was hard to ignore their latest issue given how little aviation seems to feature on modern coins. Switzerland itself had a presence in early aviation, mainly around the late 1800s, and centred around balloons, leading to the formation of a military balloon corps in 1900, which was used for observation. The corps was dissolved before the outbreak of WW2, as they’d become functionally useless in a world of 300mph+ aircraft.
Aircraft were experimented with during WW1, using French aircraft, and the Häfeli DH-1, a home-grown design of dubious ability. The Swiss Air Force was created as an autonomous unit in 1936, and was ineffective in WW2, with Swiss airspace being violated over 6,500 times. It’s understandable given where Switzerland is located. The Swiss Air Force has used a wide variety of aircraft, from Messerschmidt Bf109s, through a run of British jet fighters, to the F35 (coming in 2027/8).
The coin covers both angles, with the reverse face featuring a scene of various balloons, including some of the weirder early types, soaring over an alpine vista in Saanenland. The title ‘Pioneers of Swiss Aviation’ is inscribed in Swiss. The obverse has one of those stylised designs the Swiss Mint does so well, with a propeller and, I think, a turbofan, contrasting the advancements in technology. Aviation coins are always good for me, and this is a neat twist on the genre.
It’s a 20 gram fine silver coin, available in a choice of two finishes. The best strike will be the proof coin, which comes boxed, and has a mintage capped at 3,500 units. The bulk of the mintage will be 7,500 uncirculated quality coins, which have an identical specification, but don’t come in a box. The price difference is stark, however, with the former at 79 CHF, and the latter at a bargain 25 CHF. It’s no surprise the latter sold so quickly! Available now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 20 CHF (Switzerland) | 20.0 grams of 0.999 silver | 33.0 mm | Proof or Uncirculated | 3,500 or 7,500 |
Feral to Friendly Cats 2oz silver coin (2025 Melbourne Coins)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-23T09:35:40+01:00September 23rd, 2025|
Feral to Friendly Cats 2oz silver coin (2025 Melbourne Coins)
Melbourne Coins & Collectables Co. are bringing their eclectic sense of style to the ever popular world of moggies with a coin called ‘From Feral to Friendly’. As you can deduce from that title, it’s all about the link between our (semi) domesticated pets, and the equally magnificent animals that dominate ecosystems around much of the world.
Cats are quite incredible creatures, with physical attributes that enable them to dominate environments. For example, the Black-Footed Cat, a small species that looks superficially just like a domestic variety, is one of natures most efficient predators, attempting to catch prey around twice an hour, and succeeding 60% of the time, an incredible rate. Tigers can weigh in excess of 300 kg, and bring down animals several times that weight. My own cat has no qualms in attacking my leg, and as big as he is, I’m almost 25 times bigger. It would be like me attacking an Allosaurus…
The coin highlights that domestic cats may seem part of the household, but underneath, they retain all their hunting instincts. On the reverse face, we see a small pride of lions snacking on the carcass of a zebra they’ve brought down. On the obverse, we see a pair of cats snuggled up in a living room, one of them casually playing with a toy mouse it had caught. A window through the coin is neatly integrated into both scenes, linking them in spirit.
It’s a two-ounce, high-relief, antique-finished fine silver coin, which is presented boxed, with a certificate of authenticity, and in a themed shipper (below). A nice break from the usual subjects, and well put together, it should have plenty of appeal to the millions of cat fans who also love a coin.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 grams of 0.999 silver | 50.0 mm | Antique | 199 |
Batmobile 1966 1 oz shaped silver coin (2025 Agoro by NZ Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-23T00:27:55+01:00September 23rd, 2025|
Batmobile 66 1 oz shaped silver coin (2025 Agoro by NZ Mint)
Completely different from just about every other incarnation of Batman, the 1966 television series took the character to camp extremes, and it was a riot!. The Batman’s villains gallery has always been odd, but it was taken to extremes with a line-up of top actors taking on such iconic roles as The Joker, Riddler, Catwoman, and King Tut. It was all quite ridiculous, of course, but a lot of fun, and still held in huge regard today, some 60 years later.
One of the most iconic parts of the show was the incredible Batmobile, an equally ridiculous device that became a star in its own right. Full of weird gadgets, and helping the heroes go about their work, it’s still probably the most recognisable Batmobile of them all, which is some feat given the number of them in film and comic books.
The coin is a straightforward shaped, one-ounce silver design, which does a perfect job of capturing the look of the vehicle. It’s coloured on the reverse face, and here is where things are a little different. While 90% of the mintage will be coloured with the classic red trim, 10% of them will be done in pink instead. The boxes are sealed, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you open it, much like a trading card. I’m not a fan of this approach, simply because the price of $131 USD means few will buy multiples to get the pink one. Fun fact, the original car was meant to be red, but was actually painted a shade of pink to show up better on film.
It’s an Agoro by NZ Mint release, so the packaging is quite superb, with a custom-themed solid acrylic block display. Overall, it’s hard to find fault, as it reproduces this super-iconic vehicle beautifully. Available now, please click the blue banner below if you’re buying, as we do get a small commission at no cost to you.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 60.0 x 24.7 mm | Proof, Colour | 1,000 |
Future in the Past: Romeaeterna Caesar copper round (2025 Hobo Coin)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-19T17:16:29+01:00September 19th, 2025|
Future in the Past: Romeaeterna Caesar copper round (2025 Hobo Coin)
While we do focus overwhelmingly on silver and gold coins, we do dabble in rounds, bars, and other metals, if the item is interesting enough. This new copper round from Hobo Coin fits that bill, and is the first release in a series called ‘Future in the Past’, which looks to blend historical elements, and give them a futuristic twist.
The first of them is called Romeaterna: Gaius Julius Caesar, and depicts the legendary Roman dictator in classic style, wearing a laurel wreath, and robes, but with one major difference. One side of his face, and his neck, is cybernetic, right down to a red eye. It’s almost like an ancient version of steampunk, an alternative history combining older civilisations and technology. The copper round is antiqued, and with some well-selected colouration. A fascinating depiction.
The obverse features that classic Roman eagle holding a lightning bolt, but again, there are numerous cybernetic enhancements over the bird. The famous SPQR, “Senatus Populusque Romanus,” (Senate and people of Rome) is inscribed above it, with Roma Aeterna below. This latter phrase means Eternal Rome, and was given to the female personification of the city, where the Emperor Hadrian dedicated a custom-built temple to her, but she’d been worshipped for at least 400 years by then. Her depiction greatly influenced the later Britannia, a staple of the coin world today.
The round comes in a square capsule, and with a certificate of authenticity, neatly themed (love that image of Cyber-Rome!). The back of the certificate hints at Greek and Egyptian issues to come. A fascinating combination, and at a launch price of under €30, an affordable one to pick up. Available to pre-order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 grams of 0.999 Copper | 40.0 mm | Antique, Colour | 500 |
The Courtesan (After Eisen) by Van Gogh Tri-Metal silver coin (2024 Precious Metal Collectors)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-19T15:50:18+01:00September 19th, 2025|
The Courtesan (After Eisen) by Van Gogh Tri-Metal silver coin (2024 Precious Metal Collectors)
Easily one of the best fine art coin ranges ever made, Precious Metal Collector’s multi-metal range offers an impressively sized numismatic showcase of some of the great masterpieces. Over the last couple of years, the focus has broadened to include lesser known pieces, with works by artists rarely seen on coins.
However, the latest issue is back with a series regular, Vincent van Gogh, although not one of his usual works. The Courtesan, painted in 1887, was inspired by the presence of Japanese prints he saw in Parisian shops when he lived in Montmartre. He based it on a work by the Japanese artist, Keisai Eisen, which depicted an elaborately dressed courtesan. This was no slavish copy, and Van Gogh used his iconic style to reproduce the original, and then surrounded it with a gorgeous border, filled with bamboo, and the pond life he loved so much.
The coin does full justice to the work, expertly using high-relief to frame and realise, the courtesan. This is aided by the Tri-metal minting process employed by PMC, which uses of a 750 gram zinc core, under 120 grams
of copper, all of which is topped by 2.5oz of fine silver. The colouring looks rich, and in the artist’s style. While I’m no particular proponent of fine art, I’m familiar with Van Gogh’s classics, and didn’t know about this stunning, unusual piece. An outstanding choice for the range.
The original art by Eisen is reproduced, in full colour, on the obverse, which is a great addition, providing context. These coins are very well presented in a themed box with a certificate of authenticity, and the mintage is capped at 399. It’s available to order now. Check out the full range, almost 60 of them, in our full Coin Series Profile.
| 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, Colour | 399 |
DC Comics Iconic Covers 05: Batman #251 1 oz silver foil (2025 Parthava Coin)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-19T12:58:04+01:00September 19th, 2025|
DC Comics Iconic Covers 05: Batman #251 1 oz silver foil (2025 Parthava Coin)
Parthava Coin’s five-issue series of one-ounce silver foils, has sadly come to an end with the launch of the fifth. Called DC Comics Iconic Covers, they reproduce some of the finest covers in DC Comic’s vast history of them. Apart from a solitary Superman design, the series has concentrated on Batman, and that continues for this final foil.
Batman #251, like the Batman #227 released earlier this year, features the skills of comic art legend, Neal Adams, who also did the comic story itself, both pencilling and inking it. This is an important comic book for fans, ending a four-year hiatus for The Joker, and returning the arch-villain to his more violent past, after decades as a prankster. The story revolves around Joker breaking free of an asylum (to be named ‘Arkham’ just a few issues later) to take revenge on the five members of his gang who betrayed him. He manages to kill four of them, before being apprehended by Batman. A lot of modern Batman lore began here.
We’ve often extolled the positives of silver foils here, and when used for art like this, they offer an unparalleled amount of space to reproduce it. It’s especially good for comic book covers, as they’re almost exactly the same size, which is some feat given they only utilise an ounce of silver. They are also very easy to display. Parthava Coin’s five-foil series has been a great one for cover selection, and deserves to do well. Available to order now, with a tiny mintage of just 250 units.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 (Samoa) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 169.0 x 259.0 mm | Proof-like, Colour | 250 |
Disney: Scrooge McDuck 1 oz silver & gold bullion coins (2025 MTB/PAMP)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-05T18:29:25+01:00September 5th, 2025|
Disney: Scrooge McDuck 1 oz silver & gold bullion coins (2025 MTB/PAMP)
Despite a relatively subdued release schedule compared to the early day, Disney bullion coins are still being released, and the latest, by MTB-PAMP, signifies a new confidence in the brand. We see this in the mintages, with have risen from around 10,000, to 25,000 here. Also telling is the return of gold, absent in most new issues since late 2022.
Eschewing the usual Mickey and friends characters, they’ve gone for something altogether more interesting, with this utterly classic depiction of Scrooge McDuck diving into his infamous vault of money. Spectacles on his beak, his iconic top hat falling away, it doesn’t get any more Disney than this, and makes such a nice change from the more sickly-sweet characters we’re usually lumbered with. The obverse features the Public Seal of Niue as its only graphic element.
A pair of one-ounce coins, including the aforementioned return of gold, and with a mintage bumped up to 250. The silver comes encapsulated, with the gold presented in slab-like TEP, which is themed. They are struck in the US by MKS PAMP, and are available now. Check out the other Disney bullion coins in our Bullion Profile of the range.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 39.0 mm | BU | 25,000 |
| $250 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | BU | 250 |
Year of the Horse 1oz gold & silver bullion coins (2026 Royal Australian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-09-04T22:25:20+01:00September 4th, 2025|
Year of the Horse 1oz gold & silver bullion coins (2026 Royal Australian Mint)
The big lunars continue to appear, and with the Perth Mint, Royal Mint, and Numistrade launching their new Year of the Horse coins this week, it seems fitting that the Royal Australian Mint would join them. The horse is the sixth in the mints Lunar Investment Series, one of the prettiest ranges in this genre.
The horse is another fine design, undertaken by Bronwyn Scott, who has designed every release in the series to date. As is the current trend, the depiction of the horse is a realistic, rather than stylised one, and a fine one at that. This series designs have always excelled in taking full advantage of the circular edge of the coin, and that’s the case here, with the animal, and the floral background, curving around the coin.
The obverse is common to the series, except for the ring of twelve lunar animals in the border. These don’t change in look, but they rotate anti-clockwise, so that the correct animal occupies the top position. A nice touch. There are only two variants in this range, with a one-ounce 0.999 silver, and a one-ounce 0.9999 gold. A great addition to what we think is turning out to be a banner year for lunar coins.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 40.0 mm | BU | 50,000 |
| $100 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 gold | 38.74 mm | BU | 5,000 |
August, 2025
Džemma Skulme 27g proof silver coin (2025 Latvian Bank)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-22T15:37:15+01:00August 22nd, 2025|
Džemma Skulme 27g proof silver coin (2025 Latvian Bank)
Born into an artistic family on 20 September 1925, to a painter father, and a sculptor mother, Džemma Skulme inherited that talent, blossoming into an exceptional painter who helped define Latvian national identity. It was in the 1960s that she began to incorporate defiant symbolism into her work, during a time when Latvia was fully controlled by the Soviet Union.
Over time, she focused her bold, colourful art on a triad of elements – the folk maiden, the caryatid, and the princess – and the female spirit permeated her work. She worked in oil, acrylic and watercolour, often building texture, and her style was very distinctive, exemplified by this new coin, which takes a section of a larger work called ‘Dialogue’. Her style is evident here, and the shaped edge is a clever addition. The obverse apes brushstrokes with paint, enhanced with variations to a matte finish, and to the textured relief. Džemma Skulm’s signature adorns the top. Artist Juris Petraškevičs has done a fine job.
Skulme is far from the easiest artist to find out information on, particularly with images of her work (even her Wikipedia page is absent examples), despite a long and storied career, so it’s great to see her distinctive work showcased on a coin as well produced as this one. It’s a 27 gram silver coin with a mintage of 2,500 pieces, and went on sale yesterday at the link in our yellow button below.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 5 Euro (Latvia) | 27.0 grams of 0.999 silver | 45.0 x 28.0 mm | Proof, Colour | 2,500 |
Bubble Wrap Art: Salvatore Mundi 3oz proof silver coin (2025 Powercoin)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-14T14:03:55+01:00August 14th, 2025|
Bubble Wrap Art: Salvatore Mundi 3oz proof silver coin (2025 Powercoin)
Powercoin have spent almost a decade playing around with some of the finest works of art in the world, from Michelangelo to Vincent van Gogh. Turning iconic works into mosaic, puzzles, and embroidery on their coins, they’ve created something quite unique in a numismatic market often over-served with fine art reproductions, and it’s been popular as a result.
Their latest series is another very unusual take on the theme, and they’ve chosen the most expensive piece of art ever sold to do so. The Salvatore Mundi, painted around 1499-1510, was purchased by a Saudi buyer in 2017, for a frankly ludicrous 450.3 million USD, even though there’s considerable doubt over exactly how much of the painting was actually undertaken by Leonardo da Vinci. The high-end art market is incredibly dodgy, and little exemplifies that more than this work.
That certainly doesn’t affect the coin, however, and this now iconic work has been given the bubble-wrap treatment. We view the Salvatore Mundi as if it were behind a sheet of bubble wrap. In two areas, the face and the right hand, we can see the bubble wrap has been torn, and the light reflections on the bubbles is absent here, with the colour intensified as a result. It shows a clever mastery of the way light and colour works, even on this subtle level.
The obverse continues the bubble theme, having the centre ‘peeled’ back to reveal the effigy of King Charles III. The coin comes presented in a latex-skin floating frame, complete with a custom insert COA. Overall, a highly inventive issue, continuing Powercoin’s fine history of putting a twist on the numismatic presentation of old masterpieces. Available now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $20 CID (Cook Islands) | 93.3 grams of 0.999 silver | 65.0 mm | Proof, Colour | 499 |
Comic Covers 04: Detective Comics #122 1oz silver foil (2025 Parthava Coin)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-13T09:11:45+01:00August 13th, 2025|
Comic Covers 04: Detective Comics #122 1oz silver foil (2025 Parthava Coin)
Parthava Coin’s continues apace with its five-issue series of one-ounce silver foils, with the launch of the fourth in the collection. Each of these expansive foils has 35 times the surface area of the typical 40 mm silver coin, so artwork really gets a chance to shine, and with these coming in at a very similar size to the American Standard format, their use in reproducing some of the classic comic book covers seems a bit of a no-brainer.
The first of the five foils in this series was released in May and featured the Batman #423 cover art of Todd McFarlane. This was followed by the Neal Adams-penned Batman #227, and Jim Lee’s Superman #204, so it certainly can’t be said the series isn’t making full use of the best the comic book business has to offer. This fourth issue, Detective Comics #122, was drawn by Batman co-creator, the controversial Bob Kane.
Published in April 1947, Detective Comics #122 was the first time that Catwoman had appeared on a comic cover, and as you can tell from that publication date, has a considerably different art style from the other foils in this set. Here we hark back to simpler times, but that certainly doesn’t mean inferior, and the image perfectly encapsulates the escapism that comic books offered in that period. You can certainly see where the 60s Adam West Batman got its inspiration from.
The foil comes boxed with a certificate of authenticity, and only 250 of these will be produced. A fine display item for the myriad numbers of comic book collectors. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 (Samoa) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 169.0 x 259.0 mm | Proof-like, Colour, Gilding | 250 |
Gabriel: The Herald of Salvation 2oz silver coin (2025 TS Coin)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-07T20:20:27+01:00August 7th, 2025|
Gabriel: The Herald of Salvation 2oz silver coin (2025 TS Coin)
After a superb debut with ‘Michael’ last year, T&S Coin’s ‘Archangels series continues with another of the Abrahamic religions heavy hitters – Gabriel, whose name means “God is my strength”. Often depicted with a trumpet, Gabriel serves as a divine messenger, and in the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to Daniel to explain visions. In Christianity, Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to Jesus, and in Islam, Gabriel, or Jibril, is the angel who revealed the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.
The coin depicts the moment the Virgin Mary receives the Annunciation, where she is informed she’ll conceive Jesus, a date (March 25th), still celebrated today. It’s a fine depiction, reminiscent of a renaissance painting, and while we only have renders to look at, the choice of colouring is a real breath of fresh air, eschewing that gaudy, intense look for pastel shades, complimented by some well-placed gilding. One of the best angelic portrayals of late.
This producer’s common obverse is present, but fortunately, it’s an attractive design, perhaps the finest of its type. The coin comes well presented, and with a certificate of authenticity. T&S Coin rely heavily on the 2oz, antiqued high-relief format, and that remains the case here, which is fine, as it’s hugely popular, and an ideal compromise between size and cost. It should ship around the end of September, and Gabriel should be available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 grams of 0.999 silver | 45.0 mm | Antique, Colour, Gilding | 500 |
B Different: Sheep 2oz silver coin (2025 Powercoin)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-07T08:38:05+01:00August 7th, 2025|
B Different: Sheep 2oz silver coin (2025 Powercoin)
Powercoin, one of the most original coin producers working today, has done it again with the debut of a new series called ‘B Different’. If you stand out in a crowd because of appearance or behaviour, or something just does things differently to everything else, it seems to be fair game for this series. You get the feeling the message is ‘it’s cool to be other’.
The first issue is simply called ‘Sheep’, and it plays with that age-old trope, the black sheep of the family. The reverse face is packed with sheep, a whole flock, and yet dead centre, staring out at the observer, is a solitary black animal. There’s a quiet confidence on the black sheep’s expression, and a vague look on the others. It’s a simple design, but a very effective one, and personally, I love it!
The obverse, likely a common one to the series, features a string of lightbulbs, culminating in a ‘lit’ one in the centre, maybe a nod to the ‘lightbulb moment’ when an idea springs to mind. Weirdly, the power doesn’t seem to be on. The placing of the Public Seal of Niue in that biggest bulb is a neat touch. The coin comes in a latex-skin frame with a custom insert, and has a mintage capped at 499 units. A very cool debut, and a series to watch for those that like something a little off-centre.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 grams of 0.999 silver | 45.0 mm | Antique, Colour | 499 |
Australian Brumby 1oz silver bullion coin (2025 LPM/Perth Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-05T11:12:10+01:00August 5th, 2025|
Australian Brumby 1oz silver bullion coin (2025 LPM/Perth Mint)
The spiritual successor to the Perth Mints hit ‘Australian Stock Horse’ bullion series that ran from 2013 to 2017, the Australian Brumby has today eclipsed its predecessor with a sixth issue. While the Stock Horse was bred for working with livestock, and has a calm temperament, great agility, and an intelligent nature, the Brumby are feral horses, descended from escaped and released domestic animals. They’re tough, adaptable animals, that can occasionally be trained.
The Australian Brumby series launched in 2020, and like its earlier counterpart, is distributed globally outside of Oz by another company, in this case the Hong Kong dealer, LPM Group. We’ve always found this to be a pretty series, as the horse is a very photogenic animal, and Aleysha Howarth has done a great job depicting this pair of animals. The design exhibits a fine grasp of equine anatomy, and the setting is realistic.
This is primarily a one-ounce silver bullion coin series, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other formats, in typical Perth Mint style. Also released today is a coloured variant, which comes nicely boxed, with a COA, and a mintage of 1,500 units. Usually, there’s a one-ounce gold proof version, but that tends to release a year later, and it will carry a 2026 date. A fine addition to one of the Perth Mints best nature-themed bullion series. Available at LPM today.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 silver | 40.9 mm | B/Unc. | 25,000 |
| $1 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 silver | 40.9 mm | B/Unc., Colour | 1,500 |
Silent Film Classics: Nosferatu 1oz silver coin (2025 Mint of Poland)
Mik Woodgate2025-08-04T21:04:07+01:00August 4th, 2025|
Silent Film Classics: Nosferatu 1oz silver coin (2025 Mint of Poland)
Modern cinema is a large part of the current numismatic world, with everything from Marvel and DC, to Harry Potter and Jurassic Park, garnering multiple new issues, but sadly, the early days of cinema are almost completely neglected. The Mint of Poland is attempting to inject some life into the genre with its new ‘Silent Film Classics’ four-coin series, to be released at approximately four-month intervals, each weighing a troy ounce.
The first of the four is an absolute classic of early cinema, and based around Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. Directed by F. W. Murnau, and starring Max Schreck as the eponymous vampire, it premiered in 1922, and rapidly became a classic, except in Sweden, apparently, where it was banned until 1972! Schreck’s portrayal is remembered to this day, and one of the most recognisable performances of the silent age of cinema. It’s recently been remade, to much critical acclaim, by Robert Eggers, and is well worth a watch.
We only have a line render of the reverse face at present, but it looks highly promising, and the scene is fantastic, in my opinion. It successfully captures the essence of the film, and the little splatter of red colour is a nice touch. The obverse, almost certainly one common to all four coins, features a view of the covered screen in a cinema, and the inscribed ‘THE END’ is appropriate. For me, this is an outstanding depiction, and one unlikely to be too expensive, given it eschews most modern numismatic embellishments, like ultra-high-relief, for example.
It comes in a latex-skin frame, inside a themed slipcover, and has a mintage capped at 500 pieces. The next coin will feature another absolute legend of early cinema, 1927s ‘Metropolis’, and that will be followed by the 1902 ‘A Trip to the Moon’, and the 1921 Chaplin comedy, ‘The Kid’. A fine line-up indeed.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 38.61 mm | B/UNC. | 500 |