A striking portratit of reformer Martin Luther is the latest demonstration of smartminting prowess

It’s become clear to collectors that the smartminting process developed by Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and B.H. Mayer has brought new levels of relief and/or detail to the numismatic world. There are a growing range of coins garnering much admiration for their sheer quality. Some lean more towards detail, but there’s a small but increasing selection for which relief is the primary focus.

CIT themselves have released some quite incredible examples of the numismatic art. The Skull series and the Panda have taken the process to the extreme, one other mints have not really succeeded in matching yet. So it’s from the masters in Liechtenstein that a new coin was commissioned to commemorate the half-millenia anniversary of world-changing reformer Martin Luther.

A classic portrait of the man actually forms the coin, exhibiting both great detail and a perfect realisation from a classic image of Martin Luther. A German monk and professor of theology, Luther rejected many teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. His Ninety-five Theses of 1517 disputed the Catholic view on indulgences and resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521. His teachings literally reshaped European society, and from there the wider world.

Issued for Samoa, the obverse carries an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II encircled by the requisite inscriptions. This is all sited within an increasingly popular coin-within-a-coin design. A wooden box that also follows the portrait shape holds the coin and the certificate of authenticity. Struck in an ounce of fine silver and with an antique finish, we’re very impressed with the quality of this one and can see coins of this ilk showing up with a little more regularity in future. Selling for €199.00, it certainly isn’t a cheap coin and we’re a little concerned at the growing number of one-ounce silver coins approaching the €200 mark, but it’s hard to argue that in this case at least, there’s some understanding of why.