February, 2025
Year of the Dragon 1oz gold bullion coin (2024 Royal Australian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-02-19T13:41:34+00:00February 19th, 2025|
Year of the Dragon 1oz gold bullion coin (2024 Royal Australian Mint)
The Royal Australian Mint has been issuing some fine bullion coins of late, and their Lunar Calendar range is one of the more popular. We’ve covered most of them to date, and you can see the whole range, along with most of the RAM’s recent output, in our comprehensive Bullion Profile summary of them all.
However, there’s been a quite annoying, and illogical absence from the series to date. A gold dragon variant was never issued in 2024, something we found particularly baffling given the sheer popularity of the dragon in the lunar cycle. That’s been rectified, and the Royal Australian Mint has now added it to the line-up, to the relief of completists everywhere. It’s a great looking coin, and the mintage of 5,000 seems well-balanced. Available now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $100 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 gold | 38.74 mm | Bullion | 5,000 |
Beowulf & the Dragon gold & silver bullion coins (2025 Royal Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-02-19T12:53:21+00:00February 19th, 2025|
Beowulf & the Dragon gold & silver bullion coins (2025 Royal Mint)
Today, we’re going to be using our Quicklooks to catch up on some of the new bullion releases, and the first of them is the ninth issue in The Royal Mint’s ‘Myths & Legends’ range. This purportedly 12-coin series is divided into four groups of three coins, (although it’s possible it may stop at this ninth issue, after all) each group based around a famous British legend of old. The first trio featured the Robin Hood myth, and the second, that of King Arthur and Camelot.
The currently running third trio, is based on the Old English poetic story of Beowulf, and this one, ‘Beowulf & the Dragon’ finishes that off. It follows ‘Beowulf & Grendel’, and ‘Grendel’s Mother’ in depicting the story as best as can be done over three coins.
As before, there are one-ounce silver, and one-ounce gold versions in the range, but there apparently won’t be a ten-ounce silver to come at a later date, as this format ended with the Morgan Le Fay issue. Clearly, the Royal Mint is rationalising its bullion range, as it has been with the proof coins, sometimes to collectors annoyance. These are available now, and the range can be seen in our full Bullion Profile.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| £2 UKP | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 38.61 mm | Bullion | Uncapped |
| £100 UKP | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 gold | 32.69 mm | Bullion | Uncapped |
200th Anniversary Krugerrand 1/50 oz gold bullion coin (2025 South African Mint/MDM)
Mik Woodgate2025-02-05T00:05:49+00:00February 4th, 2025|
200th Anniversary Krugerrand 1/50 oz gold bullion coin (2025 South African Mint/MDM)
Along with the Royal Mint’s Sovereign bullion coin, the South African Mint’s Krugerrand is an absolute icon of the numismatic world, and has been since its introduction way back in 1967. We’ve covered many of these in the past, but in conjunction with German producer, MDM, the tiny 1/50th oz variant is back on offer. This first appeared for a year back in 2017, and came back in 2024, this time with MDM handling areas outside of South Africa. The 2025 coin is a little special, however.
Celebrating 200 years since the birth of South African icon, Paul Kruger, who gave this coin its name, this one features a special privy mark, depicting the bust from the obverse, surrounded by the 1825 date of his birth. This is a bigger deal than you’d normally expect, as the basic design of the Krugerrand has never really changed, so altered versions like these seem to be particularly sought after.
The coin has a large mintage of 50,000 units, and they come slabbed, but not graded. The only downside for me is the small diameter of 8 mm, just like similar Royal Mint coins, and well shy of CIT’s 11, or even nearly 14 mm for similar coins. It’s still a great addition, and every bullion collector should have at least one Kruger, so why not a dinky one with a special privy? Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 0.679 grams of 0.9167 gold (0.62g fine) | 8.0 mm | Bullion | 50,000 |
Investment Koala 1 oz bullion coins (2025 Royal Australian Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-02-04T22:59:37+00:00February 4th, 2025|
Investment Koala 1 oz bullion coins (2025 Royal Australian Mint)
While the first producer of bullion coins in Australia you think of might be the Perth Mint, the Royal Australian Mint has, over the last few years, been building up a range of their own that’s at least as good when it comes to design. Like the Perth Mint, they have a penchant for nature themes, but there’s quite a wide selection of others added to it, which you can see in our Bullion Profile that summarises them.
Their latest is the second of their Investment Koala coins, which is similar in style and format to the Investment Kangaroo, but there’s the addition of a one-ounce gold coin, with a mintage of 1,000 pieces. The design is first class, if not especially original (hardly a criticism when you think how many koala bullion designs there have been), and the relatively small mintages are an obvious bonus. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 40.0 mm | Bullion | 25,000 |
| $100 AUD (Australia) | 31.1 grams of 0.9999 gold | 38.74 mm | Bullion | 1,000 |
January, 2025
Maciej Mańkowski Butterfly I 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Goldenmark)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-28T19:35:14+00:00January 28th, 2025|
Maciej Mańkowski Butterfly I 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Goldenmark)
Another newish release in Germania Mint’s 2oz coloured cast bar program is this beautiful bar adorned with the art of Polish experimental photographer, Maciej Mańkowski. This artist uses daggeography, which, through the mix of oxidising and colouration, gives an intensely shiny backdrop to the image. The bar is called Butterfly I, and is a beautiful, really showing off the vibrancy of the technique.
We’re currently unsure if this will turn into a series, but we’d certainly like to see more of this innovative look. In all other respects, it’s a straight-up addition to this program, and we have a huge bullion profile showing off all the various bars issued by various producers to date, which is constantly updated. This one also comes boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity, but most extraordinary of all, just 40 pieces will be produced. Goldenmark are a Polish store chain, so getting one might be a task in itself.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 62.2 grams of 0.9999 silver | 40.13 x 25.07 x 7.5 mm | Antique, Colour | 250 |
The Outer Space: The Astronaut 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Asturmint)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-28T12:56:52+00:00January 28th, 2025|
The Outer Space: The Astronaut 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Asturmint)
The latest release from Asturmint as part of the Germania Mint’s 2oz coloured cast bar program is this superb debut issue in The Outer Space series. Called The Astronaut, it depicts a futuristic human astronaut on an alien planet, another planet filling the sky because of its proximity. Terrific artwork, which bodes well for a series with such a broad and exciting theme.
Not much else to say really, as we’re sure you’re familiar with these bars by now, and if not, we have a huge bullion profile showing off all the various bars issued by various producers to date, which is constantly updated. This one also comes boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity, and has a mintage capped at just 250 pieces.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 62.2 grams of 0.9999 silver | 40.13 x 25.07 x 7.5 mm | Antique, Colour | 250 |
Dot Art: Chameleon 3oz silver coin (2025 Numiscollect)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-24T14:50:20+00:00January 24th, 2025|
Dot Art: Chameleon 3oz silver coin (2025 Numiscollect)
Numiscollect’s innovative Dot Art & Pointillism series has just launched its sixth coin, and it continues to surprise with its wide range of subjects. Pointillism was developed by Post-Impressionist painter Georges Seurat and Neo-Impressionist painter Paul Signac, both Frenchmen working in Paris in the mid-1880’s, from principles discovered by French chemist, Michel Eugène Chevreul. It involves the creation of an image using dots of colour, rather than mixing colours to form new ones, causing the eye to see a wider gamut than is actually present. Even Vincent van Gogh was impressed by the technique.
For their coins, Numiscollect have combined the colour dots, with some fine, smartminted raised dots formed in the coin strike. They vary in size and colour to build up the image of a chameleon on a bed of leaves. Here, just the chameleon and the branch it resides on, are done in dots, which is the opposite of how it was done on the earlier ‘Whale’ design, where everything but the subject was done so, and last year’s Taj Mahal coin, where the whole thing was realised as Pointillism.
The design this year is particularly vibrant, playing into the colourful nature of the Chameleon. It’s a fine example of the type. The common obverse returns, the only difference being the absence of an issue date, which has been moved to the raised rim of the reverse. Packaging is equally bright and colourful, and this three-ounce black proof coin has a mintage of 333. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $20 (Palau) | 93.3 grams of 0.9999 silver | 65.0 mm | Black proof, Colour | 333 |
I Love You 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Royal Krakow Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-22T12:57:38+00:00January 22nd, 2025|
I Love You 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Royal Krakow Mint)
The two-ounce coloured cast bar selection continues to expand into new themes with the release of a new offering from the Royal Kraków Mint. This producer already issues an attractive ‘Big Five of Africa’ series, of which two are currently available, and they were amongst the first to move away from the use of ancient mythology as a theme, something helping to diversify choice.
This time, we get a bar released for next month’s Valentine’s Day, and it’s a brightly coloured celebration of the happy day, sporting a vibrant heart made of flowers. There’s a Certificate of Authenticity, and a themed box. The mintage of 520, is a nod to the Chinese speaking of the number sounding like ‘I love you’, and which has become an almost meme-like celebration there. Available to order now, it should ship next month. We’ve added it to our Bullion Profile of the range.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 62.2 grams of 0.9999 silver | 40.13 x 25.07 x 7.5 mm | Bullion, Colour | 520 |
Valentines Day range of 1 oz silver bars (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-16T20:31:40+00:00January 16th, 2025|
Valentines Day range of 1 oz silver bars (2025 Scottsdale Mint)
Just a quick heads up that we’ve updated our comprehensive Bullion Profile of Scottsdale Mint’s coloured minted bullion bars to include the new range of eleven bars themed around the upcoming Valentine’s Day. There’s around 60 different designs in the range to date, and we expect many more as the year progresses.
These are cheap and simple to produce, and they sell with a relatively small premium over spot, so if the design appeals, they’re an easy product to justify buying. As well as the 11 bars, there are the same number of rounds, but we don’t cover those in the profile.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x 29.0 mm | Bullion, Colour | Unlimited |
Dia de los Muertes: Radioactive Catrina 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Asturmint)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-16T14:08:24+00:00January 16th, 2025|
Dia de los Muertes: Radioactive Catrina 2 oz cast silver bar (2025 Asturmint)
The two-ounce coloured, cast silver bar program at the Germania Mint continues apace into 2025 with the second release in Asturmint’s ‘Dia de los Muertos’ range. Unlike many of the other ranges that make up this program, this series debuts just a single release annually, which makes a nice change, especially for the collector on a budget.
The design of the first bar was one of the best we’ve seen from any producer of these bars, and we’re pleased to see the second release keep up that sky-high standard. Called Radioactive Catrina, it’s an unusual theme, but a gorgeous piece of art. Dia de los Muertos is turning into a very attractive collection.
The back of the bar is program standard, with the composition and serial number engraved through the antique finish, and a glyph, in this case the Asturmint bull, engraved in the centre. The mintage of these bars was reduced from 999 to 500 before release, making these even more tempting as a purchase. Love this one!. Available to order now, it will ship late in March.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| Undenominated | 62.2 grams of 0.999 silver | 40.13 x 25.07 x 7.5 mm | Antique, Colour | 500 |
Wings of Freedom United Crypto States 1oz silver coin (2025 Mint XXI)
Mik Woodgate2025-01-08T21:46:18+00:00January 8th, 2025|
Wings of Freedom United Crypto States 1oz silver coin (2025 Mint XXI)
Mint XXI are pretty unique in offering a cohesive range of cryptocurrency-denominated silver coins, and the latest issue in their ‘United Crypto States’ (UCS) series is the 13th to date, and weighs in at one-ounce. Some in the wider range, specifically the ‘Binary’ trio, are double that, but this a more affordable proposition.
This producer has always been a strong advocate for Ukraine in their war with Russia, releasing some really outstanding designs, and with all profits donated to Ukraine’s military and humanitarian efforts, and the UCS range is no exception, this being the third such issue, although only the second unique design. A fine design it is, the coin is ruthenium plated for that dark look, and there’s a healthy amount of gilded highlighting on the reverse face.
The design is clever, putting a spin on the Ukrainian trident symbol from their coat-of-arms, using a diving eagle holding a snake in each foot to replicate it. Ironically, the trident symbol was possibly inspired by a white gyrfalcon, so it seems particularly apt. Whatever the origin, it looks great, framed nicely by an ornate, gilded border.
The obverse is a common one to the series, with the unique feature being a hologram on the back, underneath which is a crypto token (private key). They’ve done one with Dogecoin, and one with Ethereum, but the rest have all utilised Bitcoin, and that’s the case here. The coin comes boxed with a COA, and is available to order now, with shipping next month.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| 1,000 Satoshi (Crypto) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 40.0 mm | Proof, Ruthenium, Gilding | 2,000 |
December, 2024
Golden Highlights: Elephant & Dice 0.5 gram minigold shaped coin (2024 CIT)
Mik Woodgate2024-12-16T18:05:48+00:00December 16th, 2024|
Golden Highlights: Elephant & Dice 0.5 gram minigold shaped coin (2024 CIT)
CIT added another pair of shaped minigold coins to their Golden Highlights series as part of their Autumn Launch, which brings the range up to just shy of 50 issues to date, a landmark we expect them to hit by mid-2025. This little half-gram gold coins have been perpetually popular over the years, with many mints dabbling in the market, but CIT have kept them a staple part of their release schedules for many years now, often adding one to sit alongside their flagship coins.
Golden Highlights, however, is a standalone range, and every coin is shaped to fit the subject. The subject range is very wide, from sports and games, to nature and transport. The latest release is an elephant, and a pair of dice, there really isn’t much more to say than that, and you get exactly what you see, free of gimmickry.
The coins are issued for Palau, even though they’re unusual in having a denomination, but not an issue date, allowing them to be sold for longer. The mintage of 15,000 units means availability will be good. A clever range, trying to appeal to the widest range of collectors, perhaps as a gift to get a kid interested in the hobby. They come in a capsule with a COA, and there is an optional box available, although not all dealers offer them.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 (Palau) | 0.5 grams of 0.9999 gold | 13.92 mm | Silk | 15,000 |
| $1 (Palau) | 0.5 grams of 0.9999 gold | 13.92 mm | Silk | 15,000 |
Samoa Seahorse 1oz silver bullion coins (2024 Scottsdale Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-12-16T11:53:02+00:00December 16th, 2024|
Samoa Seahorse 1oz silver bullion coins (2024 Scottsdale Mint)
One of the most attractive of Scottsdale Mint’s many bullion series, the Samoan Seahorse is, as you no doubt guessed, a seahorse-themed annual release, issued for Samoa. It’s only available as a one-ounce 0.999 silver coin, but since 2019 (the series debuted in 2018), there’s been a choice of two finishes – the standard bullion (Scottsdale call it proof-like), and antiqued. The former has a mintage of 10,000 pieces, with the latter topping out at 1,000.
It’s another fine looking design with a style different to earlier issues, something that’s always made this series so cool. There are two individuals in an almost Yin-Yang homage. As always, for me at least, it’s the antique version that excels, and this one looks great, if still behind our series favourite Hokusai-inspired 2020 design. You can check out the others in our giant guide to Scottsdale Mint bullion series, containing 100’s of images over two pages.
As well as the usual coins, Scottsdale Mint also makes available ‘Alpha Strike’ versions, which are the first struck. They’re supplied in serialised ‘Certi-Lock’ packaging, and only 249 proof-like, and 49 antique versions were offered this way. They sold out quickly at the mint, so the aftermarket is your only hope now. A terrific addition to a fine series.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 (Samoa) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 39.0 mm | Proof-like | 10,000 |
| $2 (Samoa) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 39.0 mm | Antique | 1,000 |
Human Body 01: Head Muscles 1oz silver coin (2025 Czech Mint)
Mik Woodgate2024-12-15T18:08:53+00:00December 15th, 2024|
Human Body 01: Head Muscles 1oz silver coin (2025 Czech Mint)
We like a good Czech Mint series for a number of reasons. There are a pre-set number of coins in each one, usually issued over three years, they’re relatively affordable, well-designed, and there’s often a collector’s binder/tin to keep it all in. We’ve covered several of them in our Coin Series Profiles, such as Prehistoric World, Armoured Vehicles, and Mythical Creatures, amongst others, and their latest, ‘Human Body’, will no doubt join them in time.
This sticks to the proven formula – an ounce of silver, coloured highlights, proof finish, and a 12-coin series issued over three years. It will take us on a journey around the bodies various systems, like the nervous system, and the respiratory system, starting off with the muscular. In an unusual choice of location, they’ve chosen the head to depict it, but it makes perfect sense when you realise the 43 muscles (although some can be missing in many people) express 21 emotions, something you could argue is the basis for human culture.
The depiction by Jan Štekel is a fine one, with the head being cleanly struck, and the internal muscle structure being coloured. The text inscription is Latin for ‘head muscles’. The obverse, which will adorn all twelve coins, features the Public Seal of Niue, the issuer, surrounded by a DNA double-helix, which is also partly coloured.
The coin comes neatly boxed with a coloured sleeve, but as has been the practice in the past, there’s also a collector’s binder that holds all twelve coins. It’s full of information (in Czech and English) and makes a super way to keep it all together. This will set you back 40 Euro, which is quite a chunk of change, but as the set will set you back over €1,000, it’s not a huge hit in the bigger scheme of things. Available now for €92, with a mintage of 1,000 pieces, it’s a terrific idea for a new series.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $1 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 grams of 0.999 silver | 37.0 mm | Proof, Colour | 1,000 |
November, 2024
Mysteries of the World: Maya Mask 2oz silver coin (2024 World Coin Appreciation)
Mik Woodgate2024-11-27T17:29:38+00:00November 27th, 2024|
Mysteries of the World: Maya Mask 2oz silver coin (2024 World Coin Appreciation)
An interesting series of coins, and a very specifically themed one, World Coin Appreciation’s’ Mysteries of the World series is an archaeology series, but just featuring those civilisations that sit on the North Latitude at 30 degrees. The latest coin in this series is the third to date, following 2021’s Chinese Shu culture, and 2022s Ancient Egypt.
This third issue jumps across the Atlantic to Mesoamerica, specifically the Mayans, with this dimensional coin shaped like a ceremonial mask. Like the first two coins, this is antique finished with selected gold colouring. It’s a superb realisation of one of the most vibrant, and bloody civilisations in history, expertly utilising high-relief to bring the mask to life. The obverse has a similar map to previous issues, indicating that there is one more release to come, featuring a culture from the Indian subcontinent.
Only 199 of these two-ounce coins will be produced, and they come boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity. A terrific representation of a fascinating culture, this has turned into a first class coin series. Available to order now.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 62.2 grams of 0.999 silver | 50.0 x49.0 mm | Antique, Colour | 199 |