June, 2025
Isaz Rune silver bar (2025 Germania Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-06-10T16:40:18+01:00June 10th, 2025|
Isaz Rune silver bar (2025 Germania Mint)
After two full years at six issues per year, Germania Mint is now kicking off its third tranche of runic one-ounce silver bars with ‘Isaz’, the 13th of 24 in the series covering the runic alphabet. It’s the eleventh rune of the Elder Futhark and means “ice.” It symbolizes stillness, concentration, and the qualities of ice, such as coldness and immovability, encouraging patience and introspection.
A small shaped bar of 0.9999 silver, each rune is emblazoned on the reverse, and has a UV glow-in-the-dark treatment. Each annual set of six runes has a different shade for the UV colour, and for 2025 it’s an ice-blue colour. They have an aged look which is attractive, and the back of the bar carries the inscribed composition, and the serial number. They come in a bag with a matching rune symbol on the front, and in a box with the C.O.A. Available now.
As always, we’ve added this one to our packed Bullion Profile to the whole series, where you can see all 13 issued to date, and their respective UV colouration.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.9999 silver | 21.54 x 30.55 x 7.55 mm | Antique, UV ink | 2,500 |
Jeanne d’Arc 2oz high-relief silver coin (2025 T & S Coin)
Mik Woodgate2025-06-09T09:27:15+01:00June 9th, 2025|
Jeanne d'Arc 2oz high-relief silver coin (2025 T & S Coin)
A national symbol in France, Joan of Arc (c. 1412 – May 30, 1431) was a French peasant girl who participated in the Hundred Years’ War against England. When 17 years of age, she presented herself to Charles VII, the uncrowned Dauphin of France, claiming divine guidance for her mission to expel the English from France and secure his coronation. She was granted authority to accompany a French relief army to Orléans, which was under English siege, which was quickly relieved.
After several further battles, she was present when Charles VII as crowned King in July 1429 in Reims. In May 1430, Joan was captured by Burgundian forces during a skirmish at Compiègne. She was subsequently sold to the English and faced an ecclesiastical trial in Rouen in 1431. The charges included heresy, sorcery, and wearing male attire. Following a prolonged interrogation, she was convicted and executed by burning at the stake on May 30, 1431, at the age of 19.
The coin depicts Joan in period armour, on horseback, and soaking up the adulation of the soldiers she inspired. To the left, she is depicted being burned at the stake, watched on by the clergy that sentenced her. There’s some super detail in the background, especially the castle, and overall, it’s a fine encapsulation of her short, tragic life.
This producer’s common obverse returns, an attractive design, and it comes boxed, and with a Certificate of Authenticity. This is actually the second Joan of Arc coin T & S have done, the first being part of their collaborative Legendary Warriors series, done with Pinehurst Coins. We’ll have a full Coin Series Profile up of that series later today. In the meantime, this one is available to pre-order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 g of 0.999 silver | 45.0 mm | Antique | 500 |
May, 2025
Eastern Caribbean 8: Anguilla & Montserrat gold and silver coins (2024 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-05-23T20:02:49+01:00May 23rd, 2025|
Eastern Caribbean 8: Anguilla & Montserrat gold and silver coins (2024 Scottsdale Mint)
The 2024 Eastern Caribbean 8 bullion program had a very late start, but Scottsdale Mint has released them at such an accelerated rate that they’ve already caught up with the issue of these final two designs, one for the volcanic island of Montserrat, and one for the island I spent almost two years on, Anguilla.
Montserrat has some wonderful sealife around it, despite the tumultuous geology, and that’s represented here by a starfish. While the creature itself is portrayed in a realistic manner, the whole design is more stylised overall. The Anguilla coin is prettier, in my view, but the depiction of the island in the background is hugely unrealistic. Anguilla is quite flat, and not very lush. The boat looks good, but the setting is way off. Despite that, as a coin, it looks great in silver bullion form, in particular.
As usual, there are clean silver and gold coins, and coloured silver and gold coins, all an ounce in weight. These should be available to order now. Given how quick the 2024 program has been concluded, we suspect we won’t have to wait long for the 2025 range to kick off. We have a comprehensive three-page Bullion Profile of the series, where you can see every issue to date, including the four variants each of these final 2024 additions.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.6 mm | BU (Proof-like) | 25,000 |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.6 mm | Proof, colour | 500 |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | Proof | 2,500 |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | Proof, colour | 100 |
Gods: Njörðr 2oz cast silver bar (2025 Germania Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-05-23T13:46:12+01:00May 23rd, 2025|
Gods: Njörðr 2oz cast silver bar (2025 Germania Mint)
Germania Mint’s second coloured cast 2oz silver bar series, Gods, has now joined Goddesses in the land of completion, with the debut of the sixth issue. Gods is themed around the male deities in the Northern European mythology of the Norse and Germanic peoples, and much to the mints credit, they’ve concentrated on some of the lesser known figures, rather than the same old subjects we’ve seen countless times before.
The final release features Njörðr, who, as the god of the sea and the winds, filled a place analogous to the Greek Poseidon, and the Roman Neptune in the Norse pantheon. He was the father of Freyr and Freyja (obviously not an imaginative namer!), who he sired with his sister, and was also associated with wealth and crop fertility.
A great looking bar, the association with the sea is obvious, with the runic background tieing him definitively to the Norse faiths. The style is a perfect continuation of what has gone before, exhibiting power and dynamism throughout, in contrast to Goddesses, which championed beauty and elegance. Both remain superb examples of the type. Available to order now, it comes boxed with a COA, and is capped at 999 pieces. Be great to see what comes next. I have an idea of what I’d like to see, but who knows – it’s a deep cultural-historical period, replete with subjects. Check out our comprehensive bullion profile of this series, and the whole program.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 62.2 g of 0.9999 silver | 40.13 x 25.07 x 7.5 mm | Antique, Colour | 999 |
Americana Series II one-ounce coloured silver bars (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-05-15T13:28:06+01:00May 15th, 2025|
Americana Series II one-ounce coloured silver bars (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Scottsdale Mint is growing its huge selection of one-ounce coloured silver bars with a second range of Americana-themed designs. It joins, not only the first series, but also ranges for Easter, Christmas, Valentines, Halloween, and many others. Indeed, we found it hard to keep track, so did one of our comprehensive Bullion Profiles of them for you to check out.
For Series II of Americana, there are 17 new bars, although we have seen designs for 5 more, and there’s also a solitary round for those that prefer them. The 17 bars are a mixed bag, with some questionably jingoistic designs, but also some genuinely excellent ones. Personal favourites are Classic Benjamin, Pastel Bald Eagle, Liberty League, and American Outlaws.
These have different mintage’s, with some set at1,776 pieces, some capped at 999, and some with no cap at all. We’ve marked them in the bullion profile. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.0 mm | BU, Colour | various |
Eastern Caribbean 8: Antigua & Grenada gold and silver coins (2024 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-05-14T15:59:57+01:00May 14th, 2025|
Eastern Caribbean 8: Antigua & Grenada gold and silver coins (2024 Scottsdale Mint)
Scottsdale Mint is powering its way through the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Eight (EC8) bullion/proof coin series, the seventh such annual program since its inception in 2018. The concept is simple. Take the eight island nations that make up the Eastern Caribbean financial block, and each year, issue a new coin design for them. This takes the form of a silver bullion coin, a gold coin, and then coloured variants of the gold and silver coins, all weighing a troy ounce each.
The coins are generally released in national pairs, and this time we have Grenada, and Antigua. The coin for Grenada continues the diving theme that has appeared several times before, with an excellent shark diving design, The issue for Antigua & Barbuda taps into the island’s naval history with another Rum-Runner, this one with a Kraken in tow. Another great design, especially in clean silver bullion form.
Just Anguilla, and Montserrat are still to come, and given how fast the first six issued have appeared, we guess you won’t have to wait more than a month or two before seeing them. After that, we may well see a similarly rapid 2025 programme, but we’re speculating there. We have a comprehensive three-page Bullion Profile of the series, where you can see every issue to date, so go check that out.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.6 mm | BU (Proof-like) | 25,000 |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 38.6 mm | Proof, colour | 500 |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | Proof | 2,500 |
| $2 East Caribbean | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | Proof, colour | 100 |
Year of the Wild Horse silver, minigold and note coins (2026 CIT)
Mik Woodgate2025-05-06T22:05:14+01:00May 6th, 2025|
Year of the Wild Horse silver, minigold and note coins (2026 CIT)
CIT have added the inevitable 2026 designs to their superb, dimensional Lunar silver coin range, and as always, there’s a half-gram minigold, and a five-gram coin note alongside it. We’ve long been admirers of the innovative designs that have exemplified their Lunar Collection since 2019, and this eighth annual issue is no exception.
The star of the show each year is the one-ounce silver, which is fully dimensional, antique-finished, and adorned with some artistic flourishes. The 2026 horse is a terrific example, maintaining the high standard to date, and would make a very distinctive gift for someone that follows the lunar calendar. It comes in a latex frame, but can stand unaided for display.
The five-gram silver coin note is one of the few in this format still being issued these days, which is a shame, as they’re eminently affordable, and large enough to carry some neat artwork. Finally, in true CIT style, there’s a minigold coin with a depiction of the rearing horse on it. All are available to order now. We’ve added these to our full Coin Series Profile of the range, so please go check out this very neat collection.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 1000 Tögrög (Mongolia) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 silver | ~40.0 mm | Antique | 999 |
| 1000 Tögrög (Mongolia) | 0.5 g of 0.9999 gold | 11.0 mm | Proof | 5,000 |
| 100 Tögrög (Mongolia) | 5.0 g of 0.999 silver | 150.0 x 70.0 mm | Prooflike | 5,000 |
April, 2025
Star Wars: Luke Skywalker 1 oz silver bullion coin (2025 PAMP/APMEX)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-30T19:41:28+01:00April 30th, 2025|
Star Wars: Luke Skywalker 1 oz silver bullion coin (2025 PAMP/APMEX)
After being relatively quiet for some time, it seems that Star Wars bullion is back on the calendar, with the launch of a new series based around the incredibly popular Original Trilogy, of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. It’s of little surprise that Luke Skywalker is the subject, for the first time, given that Darth Vader already has five bullion issues of his own.
The design depicts Skywalker, in early clothing from the first film, with a lightsaber raised. To his left is the symbol of the Rebel Alliance, itself also the subject of its own coin. The obverse is one that has the Public Seal of Niue, rather than the effigy of King Charles III.
There are two variants, both an ounce in weight. The 0.999 silver coin has a mintage of 10,000 pieces, with the 0.9999 gold version capped at a tiny 100 units. The silver coins are struck by MKS PAMP, and the gold is sold exclusively through APMEX. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 39.0 mm | Bullion | 10,000 |
| $250 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.9999 gold | 32.0 mm | Bullion | 100 |
Mood: Anger one & two-ounce silver bars (2025 Le Grand Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-22T23:09:39+01:00April 22nd, 2025|
Mood: Anger one & two-ounce silver bars (2025 Le Grand Mint)
Le Grand Mint has added to its range of minted silver bars with a coloured piece that is the first in a series called ‘Mood’. The debut bar is called ‘Anger’ and depicts a female warrior standing in front of a flying dragon. The dragon is said to represent the impetuous, wrathful and ruthless side of anger, while the warrior stands for the control of the emotion. To the bottom-left, are Platonic solids, representing the Four Elements. It’s a nice piece of art by Carmen Testa, eschewing that clinical, digital look, for something altogether more natural.
The back of the bar has that signature Le Grand Mint design, which shows far more intricacy than most of the bars of this type. There are two weights available, both with identical dimensions except for the thickness. There’s a one-ounce, and a two-ounce, the latter fulfilling the role of a piedfort, in principle.
What’s unusual is the very limited mintages of these. Just 333 of the smaller bar, and 222 of the bigger, will be produced, and they all come encapsulated, boxed, and with a Certificate of Authenticity, so very much not a stackers bar. An interesting debut, we look forward to seeing where LGM goes with the series.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.9999 silver | 46.1 x 25.6 x 3.0 mm | Bullion, Colour | 333 |
| Undenominated | 62.2 g of 0.9999 silver | 46.1 x 25.6 x 6.0 mm | Bullion, Colour | 222 |
Graduation Day one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-22T12:54:18+01:00April 22nd, 2025|
Graduation Day one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Scottsdale Mint continues its quest to dominate the minted silver bullion bar market with their latest coloured offerings. Joining Easter, Christmas, Valentines, Halloween, and many others, the new pair celebrate Graduation Day, which marks the awarding of a diploma.
Just two in this range, although there are two silver rounds, also an ounce in weight, also being released at the same time. Like most of these bars, they’re more for the gift market than for stackers or collectors, but we do have a comprehensive Bullion Profile of them up for you to check out, as some of the other designs are exceptional. Available now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.0 mm | Bullion, Colour | Unlimited |
Lucky Dragon 05 Xuánhuá one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-22T11:41:31+01:00April 22nd, 2025|
Lucky Dragon 05 Xuánhuá one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
The five-bar ‘Lucky Dragon’ range, from Scottsdale Mint, has come to an end with the debut today of the final design. These bars have released every week over the last month, but each is only sold for seven days, starting on a Monday. The mintage is set at whatever the orders are for that week. There’s also a giveaway with a chance to win the bar with the serial number 001. US collectors can enter that HERE. The giveaway has a couple of other prizes, which you can also read about at that link.
This one goes by the name Xuánhuá, and could well be my favourite of the five, depicting an almost elder statesman of the dragon world, dripping with power and wisdom. This has been a really exceptional series of minted silver bars, that are affordable, and very collectible. All the earlier bars are no longer available to order from Scottsdale Mint, so you’ll have to hit the secondary market if you want one. They’re sold encapsulated, and there seems to be a wooden box available separately.
If minted bars from Scottsdale Mint are your thing, we have just the bullion profile for you…
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.0 mm | B/Unc, Colour | Unlimited (1 week) |
Lucky Dragon 04 Kuángyǐng one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-14T18:34:14+01:00April 14th, 2025|
Lucky Dragon 04 Kuángyǐng one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
As we reported a few days ago, the new five-bar range from Scottsdale Mint, called ‘Lucky Dragon’, sees the fourth issue drop today. The bars are released every week, for five weeks, and only sold for that week. The mintage is capped at whatever the orders are for that week.
The fourth is called Kuángyǐng, and is yet another terrific piece of Asian art. The earlier three bars are no longer available to order from Scottsdale Mint, so you’ll have to hit the secondary market if you want one. They’re sold encapsulated, and there seems to be a wooden box available separately.
There’s also a giveaway with a chance to win the bar with the serial number 001. US collectors can enter that HERE. The giveaway has a couple of other prizes, which you can also read about at that link. The last bar, called Xuánhuá, drops on 21st April. As always, we’ll give a heads-up on those days, so you don’t miss out.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.0 mm | B/Unc, Colour | Unlimited (1 week) |
Jesus Cross 1oz silver coin (2025 Precious Metal Collectors)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-11T11:19:04+01:00April 11th, 2025|
Jesus Cross 1oz silver coin (2025 Precious Metal Collectors)
Here’s a quick look at a new version of a coin that Precious Metal Collectors released back in 2023. Shaped like a wooden cross, it’s adorned with the image of Jesus on both faces. On the reverse, it bears the inscription ‘INRI’, which is Latin for Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum, meaning “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”.
It’s an almost 100% copy of the original, but manages to do it with just an ounce of fine silver, compared to the original’s five ounces, so it’s much more affordable ($129 vs $589 on PMC’s own webstore). If religion is your thing, this brings it within reach, and it remains a very impressive, and quite respectful, design.
It comes boxed with a certificate of authenticity, and is available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 5000 Francs CFA (Chad) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 44.7 x 60.0 mm | Antique | 500 |
Fried Egg 16.8 gram silver coin (2025 Mint of Poland)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-08T09:49:23+01:00April 8th, 2025|
Fried Egg 16.8 gram silver coin (2025 Mint of Poland)
We thought we’d throw in something a little light-hearted, and what better way to start the day than a fried egg. The Mint of Poland has always had a penchant for the unusual, and this certainly fits that description. It isn’t the first time we’ve had an egg coin, with even the revered Monnaie de Paris issuing one back in 2017, one variant of which retailed at $130,000. That was a kilo of gold, however, enough to make even an ostrich walk bow-legged after laying it…
This one is a more restrained effort in terms of weight, weighing in at an unusual 16.81 grams of silver, and it’s fully shaped to ape an egg, if a little over crispy for my tastes. From the images, it looks like they’ve done a great job on the look of the coin, also keeping it free of intrusive inscriptions. There really isn’t much more to say really – it’s a fried egg. The obverse carries the shield emblem of Cameroon, along with the inscribed issue details.
The box is one of those latex-skin ‘floating frames’ we like, all cleverly themed out internally. Overall, it does what it sets out to do just about perfectly, and at just over half-ounce, it’s probably about the same price as an actual egg to our American readers! With food coins seemingly having a niche of their own, we reckon this one will find plenty of plates to reside on. Available to order now, it seems to be up for pre-order at quite a few places, so check out our Where to Buy link below.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 500 Francs CFA (Cameroon) | 16.81 g of 0.999 silver | 41.0 mm | Proof, Colour | 777 |
Lucky Dragon 03 Tianyi one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-04-07T22:54:29+01:00April 7th, 2025|
Lucky Dragon 03 Tianyi one-ounce coloured silver bar (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
A few days ago, we reported on a new five-bar range from Scottsdale Mint with a rather intense release schedule. Called ‘Lucky Dragon’, the bars are released every week, for five weeks, and only sold for that week. The mintage is capped at whatever the orders are for that week.
The third came out today (above), and is called Tianyi. Another really nice piece of Asian art, that forms a coherent set with the first two bars (below). They are sold encapsulated, although there seems to be a wooden box available separately.
There’s also a giveaway with a chance to win the bar with the serial number 001. US collectors can enter that HERE. The giveaway has a couple of other prizes, which you can also read about at that link. The next bar drops on 14 April, with the last released on the 21st. We’ll give a heads-up on those days, so you don’t miss out.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.0 mm | B/Unc, Colour | Unlimited (1 week) |