Picking up the Star Trek license last year, the Perth Mint jumped straight in with a ten-coin series of Captain:Vessel sets released throughout the year. Comprised of five pairs of coloured silver coins, one for each of the live-action Star Trek series that have been produced over the franchise history, they employed some extravagent packaging to appeal to fans. A solitary Spock release to commemorate the pasing of actor Leonard Nimoy rounded out a busy 2015.
This year has been much quieter, unless you count the huge 11-coin release run from the Royal Canadian Mint in May. Just a gilded silver bar has appeared from Perth this year until today, very surprising in Treks 50th anniversary year. This new coloured coin is, in our view obviously, easily the best to debut to date. Moving away from the photo images used on the previous coins, this coin depicts an artistic rendering of Captain Kirk and Commander Spock as they appeared in the original 1960’s series. A really excellent piece, with a background of planets, stars, and starships from different races, it’s full of colour and detail.
As well as being sold on its own (mintage 5,000), it’s also available in a two-coin set. The second coin is available only in this pairing, and is thus limited to just 1,500 pieces compared to the combined 6,500 of the Kirk:Spock one. It depicts a fine image of the original Enterprise on a background representing warp speed travel. One negative we have is the choice of packaging. The LED-lit plastic display boxes are decent enough, but very bulky and have been used since the first sets debuted over a year ago. Collectors buying all of these coins will now have six of the double coin Transporter sets, and/or twelve of the singles. The former in particular are not attractive enough, or compact enough to display easily. Time for a change in our view.
The big, and unexpected news is the launch of a new Tuvalu-issued one-ounce silver bullion coin using the Jennifer McKenna design from the Starship Enterprise coin. This one look like it’ll be a huge hit. A combination of a hot license, cool design, and mintage limited to just 50,000 means this will be a big seller. Don’t expect premiums to be as low as the Kangaroo on this one, or the finish to match a proof coin, but it will sell heavily and quickly we’re sure. It will be offered encapsulated.
The coloured coins are available to order today, as is the bullion coin. A great month for bullion collectors and Trekkers alike.
SILVER BULLION COIN
MINTS DESCRIPTION
Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek debuted in 1966, and ran for three seasons until 1969. Set in the future, the science fiction series followed the 23rd century adventures of key characters that included Captain James T. Kirk, the part-human part-Vulcan character Spock, and Dr. Leonard
‘Bones’ McCoy.
Since its debut, Star Trek has developed into a cultural phenomenon with a range of spinoff television series and a number of feature films being released over the past five decades. The series explored a variety of societal themes and issues including a Utopian society, war and peace, imperialism, economics, racial equality, religion, human rights, feminism, and the role of technology.
With the ability to travel at speeds surpassing the speed of light, the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC- 1701 was one of the United Federation of Planets’ most famous space-exploration vessels. The starship achieved lasting fame from the five-year mission she undertook under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. The mission handed down by Starfleet involved deep-space exploration to seek out new life and new civilisations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before™.
Struck by The Perth Mint from 99.9% pure silver in bullion quality, this coin is issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu with a limited worldwide mintage of 50,000.
DESIGN: The reverse of the coin features an image of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 as it appeared in Star Trek. The design includes the inscription STAR TREK and The Perth Mint’s traditional ‘P’mintmark. The obverse of the coin depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination, and the 2016 year-date.
ANNIVERSARY PROOF COINS
MINTS DESCRIPTION
Captain Kirk became Starfleet’s youngest captain when he took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 for its five-year mission. Kirk’s mission – and his mandate from Starfleet – is to seek out new life and new civilisations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before.
Spock was born in 2230 on the planet Vulcan and initially served as a Starfleet officer for several decades before going on to become a Federation ambassador. As a young lieutenant he served as science officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 under the command of Captain Christopher Pike. When Captain James Kirk took command of the vessel in 2265, Spock was promoted to first officer, before eventually being promoted to Captain.
With the ability to travel at speeds surpassing the speed of light, the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 was one of the United Federation of Planets’ most famous space-exploration vessels.
Struck by The Perth Mint from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver in proof quality, each coin is issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu. Perth Mint will release no more than 1,500 of the 2016 Star Trek: The Original Series – Captain James T. Kirk and Spock and the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 1oz Silver Proof Two-Coin Sets, and no more than 5,000 2016 Star Trek: The Original Series – Captain James T. Kirk and Spock 1oz Silver Proof Individual Coins.
DESIGN: The reverse of the Captain James T. Kirk and Spock coin portrays a colour image of William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy (1931 – 2015) as Spock as they appeared in Star Trek, against the backdrop of a galaxy. The design includes the inscription STAR TREK 1966 – 2016 and The Perth Mint’s traditional ‘P’ mintmark.
The reverse of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 coin features a colour image of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 as it appeared in Star Trek. The design includes the inscription STAR TREK 1966 – 2016 and The Perth Mint’s traditional ‘P’ mintmark.
The obverse of each coin depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination, and the 2016 year-date.
PACKAGING
SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | WEIGHT | DIAMETER | FINISH | MINTAGE | BOX / COA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$1 TUVALU | 0.999 SILVER | 31.135 g | 40.6 mm | B/UNC | 50,000 | CAPSULE |
$1 TUVALU | 0.999 SILVER | 31.135 g | 40.6 mm | PROOF | 4,000 (+1,500 SETS) | YES / YES |
best Trek coins so far though I’d like to see the high reliefs coming in Aug.
the bullion issue was kind of a stealth release. do you know if it was a dealer exclusive perhaps?
I ordered some from APMEX today.
Totally agree Louis, a great design compared to the previous ones. I don’t believe the bullion coin was a dealer exclusive as all the information for it came through the usual PM channels and nobody is claiming a world exclusive.