Dinna, Dinna, Dinna, Dinna Batcoin!!! Classic camp 60’s series debuts on Niue’s new silver coins

Okay, I’m going to admit up front to having a soft-spot for this quite mad series. Rampaging across TV screens in the late 1960’s for a total of 120 episodes, there probably hadn’t been a cast asked to say lines like these since acting began, but they all took it in their strides to produce a fun, escapist body of classic television that remains beloved today.

Headlined by Adam West, with Burt Ward as the Boy Wonder, the adventures were packed with a gallery of villains like no other. Cesare Romero’s Joker was a classic, as was Burgess Meredith’s portrayal of the waddling Penguin. A great subject for a coin series – much more characterful than the latest rounds of superhero movies.

Two issues kick off the series. Batman – obviously – and The Penguin. These are not ambitious coins, choosing to stick with the tried and tested proof 1oz coloured silver format that is so popular, especially with their attraction to the memorabilia market as well as traditional coin collectors. Both are well composed and attractive pieces that allow the mad fun of the subject to show through. These are issued for Niue via the NZ Mint, so sadly, the obverse is an effigy of famed Bat-villain Queen Elizabeth II, and little more.

Packaging is as neat as you would expect from this mint. Our love of the acrylic block frame is well known and the shipper box is colourfully themed, so if you’re giving one as a gift to a fan, they’re going to love to display it. Mintages are smaller than usual from the NZ Mint, going with an appropriate 1,966 pieces of each. NZ Mint issues usually ship on the day the press embargo lifts, but in this case coins won’t be shipping until 9th December, and at a price of $85.00 USD each, although plenty of our sponsors also sell these. We’re looking forward to the next issues so keep an eye out here for updates – until then, same Bat time, same Bat AgAuNEWS…!

BATMAN 1966 TV SERIES – A CAMP CLASSIC

Batman is a 1960s American live action television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman and Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin – two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City from a variety of arch villains. It is known for its camp style, upbeat theme music, and its intentionally humorous, simplistic morality (aimed at its largely teenage audience). This included championing the importance of using seat belts, doing homework, eating vegetables, and drinking milk.

It was described by executive producer William Dozier as the only situation comedy on the air without a laugh track. The 120 episodes aired on the ABC network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968, twice weekly for the first two and weekly for the third. In 2016, television critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz ranked Batman as the 82nd greatest American television show of all time.

The series focuses on Batman and Robin as they defend Gotham City from its various criminals. Although the lives of their alter-egos, millionaire Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson are frequently shown, it is usually only briefly, in the context of their being called away on superhero business or in circumstances where they need to employ their public identities to assist in their crime-fighting. The “Dynamic Duo” typically comes to the aid of the Gotham City Police upon the latter being stumped by a supervillain. Throughout each episode, Batman and Robin follow a series of (seemingly) improbable clues to discover the supervillain’s plan, then figure out how to thwart that plan and capture the criminal.(Wikipedia)

Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman:

A multi-millionaire industrialist whose parents were murdered when he was a child and who now secretly uses his vast fortune to fight crime as the masked vigilante Batman. With the exception of two episodes, the series refrains from mentioning his origins as a “crime orphan”. Producer William Dozier cast Adam West in the role after seeing him perform as the James Bond-like spy Captain Q in a Nestlé Quik television advertisement. Lyle Waggoner had screen-tested for the role, though West ultimately won out because, it was said, he was the only person who could deliver his lines with a straight face. West later voiced an animated version of the title character on The New Adventures of Batman.

Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin:

Batman’s sidekick, dubbed the “Boy Wonder”: a high school student noted for his recurring interjections in the form of “Holy ________, Batman!” (The series avoids referencing Robin’s origins as Bruce Wayne’s fellow “crime orphan”, as whose legal guardian the courts appoint Bruce.) Ward voiced an animated version of this character on The New Adventures of Batman.

Cesar Romero as The Joker:

A clown-themed, prank-loving villain and Batman’s archenemy, who leaves behind jokes as clues to his next crime.

Burgess Meredith as The Penguin:

A penguin-themed gentleman thief who commits crimes using multipurpose umbrellas.

Frank Gorshin (s1/3 &the movie), John Astin (s2) as The Riddler :

A criminal who leaves behind riddles as clues to his crimes.

Julie Newmar (S1/2),Lee Meriwether (movie), Eartha Kitt (s3) as The Catwoman

A cat-themed jewel thief and cat burglar in a complicated love-hate relationship with Batman.