Silver foils are increasing in popularity again, with Marvel, DC, and mythology leading the new issues
A few years ago, there was a huge increase in the popularity of silver foils and silver banknotes, primarily driven by the New Zealand Mint, CIT Coin Invest, and MDM Wholesale. They covered a wide range of themes, from Star Trek and Star Wars, to old explorers maps. However, the release rate slowed to a trickle, but we’re pleased to say that they’re back.
For those unfamiliar, these vary in weight from around 5 grams, up to about 50 grams. They’re extremely thin, like paper, so are expansive for their weight. The one-ounce foil is approximately 260 x 170 mm in size, for example. Because of their lack of thickness, they are sealed in acrylic, and are easy to wall mount, or put on a stand in a display case.
The format is perfect for movie posters, maps, and comic book covers, and we’d certainly like to see them broaden their horizons. Perhaps Agoro might like to try some classic Disney animation cells, for example. Enjoy these, and over the coming weeks, I’ll update our Foil Series Profiles section to make it more current.
DC CLASSIC COMIC COVERS (Parthava Coin)
We’re kicking off with Parthava Coin’s latest additions to its Classic DC Comic Covers range of one-ounce foils. The first of the five foils in this series was released in May and featured the Batman #423 cover art of Todd McFarlane. The second of them, which debuted last month, was Batman #227, drawn by another legend of the comic book world, Neal Adams.
The latest, and right in time for the premiere of the new James Gunn movie, depicts the cover of Superman #204, the work of one of my personal favourite artists, Jim Lee. It’s an epic piece, perfectly encapsulating the Man of Steel as he overlooks the skyline of Metropolis. Lee always had a knack for this style, and it propelled him to comic superstardom, along with Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, and Erik Larsen, amongst others, in the early 90s, with Image Comics.
A fine series, showcasing the work of some of the finest comic book artists of the modern age. We’ll be interested to see where it goes next. Something by Sam Keith would be terrific, maybe Batman Secrets #3, or Lobo: Portrait of a Bastich.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 (Samoa) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 169.0 x 259.0 mm | Proof-like, Colour | 250 |
2025 FIRE & PHOENIX (MDM WHOLESALE)
MDM Wholesale’s latest foil is an unusual one, especially in this company. Eschewing any form of licensed property, it features an original artwork depicting the fire of volcanoes, and its relationship with the Phoenix of legend. The style of art reminds me of some of the animated films of the 1970s, similar to those of Ralph Bakshi, but I’m likely mis-remembering.
It’s a striking piece of art, although I’d imagine a divisive one. The lines are not white ink, but the silver shining through the colour. The obverse has a central area with the emblem of Samoa, and the issue details, set in the middle of a pattern of clouds. It comes in a neat looking frame, with a gold coloured rim.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $5 (Samoa) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 214.0 x 114.0 mm | Proof-like, Colour | 1,999 |
2025 COMIX FANTASTIC FOUR #1 (New Zealand Mint)
One of Agoro’s many one-ounce silver foils, the theme here is a unique take, however, part of this producer’s Comix range. Rather than a comic book cover, or a film poster, Fantastic Four #1 reproduces the art from the inside of the comic book, specifically page 10 (in colour) and page 11 on the obverse. It’s a great idea, and a surprisingly obvious one, in retrospect. The potential is enormous, as there are countless examples of brilliant art, from some real industry giants, that would look great in this format.
As with all the Agoro foils, they’re sealed, easy to display, and have a serial number inscribed on them. This one seems to be a real treat for the comic book fan.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 31.1 g of 0.999 silver | 175.0 x 262.0 mm | Proof, Colour | 1,000 |
2025 INFINITY SAGA FILM POSTERS (Agoro)
The Infinity War posters are bigger than most, weighing in at 1.5 ounces, and these two are the seventh and eighth to be issued to date. The idea here is to reproduce the original film posters from the various phases of the Infinity Saga sequence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a veritable who’s who of blockbuster films, and the fan-base for it is huge.
Captain America: Civil War is the latest, featuring the 2016 hit with a $1.2 b box-office, widely regarded as one of the best in the series. The last issue was Ant-Man, a 2015 film starring Paul Rudd, which, despite having a less popular character, still managed to bank over $500 m in box office.
These are also straightforward issues, and an impressive size for wall mounting.
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | DIMENSIONS | FINISH | MINTAGE |
| $2 NZD (Niue) | 46.7 g of 0.999 silver | 216.0 x 320.0 mm | Proof, Colour | 500 |
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