Scottsdale Mint debut a new series of silver bullion coins rich in Chinese dynastic culture

Never let it be said that Scottsdale are a mint that rests on its laurels! Almost unique amongst the bigger producers, Scottsdale have a large and varied range of silver bullion products, especially with legal tender coins for far flung places. With the ongoing EC8 Caribbean series taking pride of place at the moment, you would think they’d have their hands full, but new Silverback Gorilla coins, a Samoan Seahorse, the Royal Arms of England, and issues for Fiji, Chad and the Cayman Islands, prove they have capacity to spare.

This latest issue is a departure for them. Featuring dynastic Chinese imagery, in the case of the first issue from the Ming Dynasty, this is much different from the usual naature themes they feel safe with. It’s a really nice piece and has a classic look rather than a more contemporary interpretation. Dragons aren’t exactly rare on silver coins, even bullion ones, but this has a look that is full of appeal, with artwork bordering on hand finished rather than the usual CAD concoction.

The dragon is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology and remains so to this day. Most are depicted as snake-like with four legs, and they symbolise power (including control over extreme weather), strength and good fortune. In Imperial China, the dragon was a symbol of imperial power and emperors. The five-clawed dragon was reserved for the Son of Heaven (Emperor) only, while the four-clawed dragon like that seen on Scottsdales coin, was used more widely by Princes and other nobles.

Issued for the Republic of Cameroon, the Chinese look quickly falls apart on the obverse. This African state has its emblem in the middle and is surrounded by every inscription on the coin. We really like that the reverse is free of modern textual distraction. Struck to a prooflike finish, it has a mintage of 25,000 and is available only as a one-ounce coin.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

Scottsdale Mint is pleased to announce a new bullion coin program – The 1 oz Cameroon Imperial Dragon Silver Coin (2018).

The coin’s image emulates a fine detailed production of the official Jiajing Emperor workshops of the Chinese Ming Dynasty.

The Dragon in the center holds the Chinese character sheng, which means “divine” or “imperial majesty.”  The characters above it (fu on the right and bi on the left) generally signify “to add” or “to support.”  In this case they refer to the dragon, a well-known symbol of imperial authority.

The Imperial Dragon Silver Coin’s complete mintage is limited to only 25,000 pieces.

The coins, manufactured and distributed by Scottsdale Mint and legal tender in Cameroon, are struck in .999+ silver, weighing 1 troy ounce each, proof-like and placed in capsules.  They are shipped on customized Scottsdale Mint branded skin boards of five (5) coins allowing for ease of sale by cutting the skin board into individual pieces for your customers while keeping them sealed.