Along with a fine and uniquely designed range of proof and bullion coins, Le Grand Mint also produces some neat minted bars, something we haven’t covered a lot of in the past, but we’ve been dabbling with a little more recently. In the spirit of that, here’s a look at their two latest offerings.

First out of the gate, and my favourite, is Fors Fortuna. Designed by Italian artist, Carmen Testa, who’s done some other fine coins for LGM, amongst others, it harks back to a popular theme in coins – the Roman goddess of fortune, and the personification of luck. She was worshipped in a sacellum (a small, open-roof shrine) on the right bank of the Tiber river. She differed from other personifications of wealth, in not striving for balance, but rather representing the capriciousness of life.

The coin depicts her at her most beautiful, traditionally blindfolded, and besides the coat-of-arms of Le Grand Mint, rather than the wheel, or ship’s rudder normally present. Coins tumble from her hand, and the background is filled with a geometric pattern formed from the producer’s LGM initials, a clever touch. A pretty piece, there are three gold and two silver formats. Gold comes in 0.5g (999 mintage), 1.0g (999), and 20.0g (299), while silver has 1oz (5,000), and 2oz (2,500) variants. An affordable, and sensible choice.

The second of them is called ‘The Eagle and the Serpent’, the iconography of which is steeped in history across multiple continents. The Romans considered the eagle a symbol of the empire, standing for righteousness and honour, while the poor snake was seen as harmful. Thus, the pairing was seen as a triumph of good over evil. It’s a popular symbol in Mexico, where it features prominently.

The design depicts an eagle carrying a snake over the sea. The eagle is very dynamic in pose, although the snake seems a little nonchalant given its circumstances… I particularly like the almost Hokusai-like style of the waves. Overall, a fine depiction of a classic theme. The range of sizes is the same as for the Fortuna bar, as are the mintages. Both should be available to order now, with shipping in May.

Both bars use the same common obverse, consisting of a nice flowing pattern, intermingled with the LGM producers mark, and at the bottom, the composition of the bar.