The last of the seven coins that make up the New Zealand Mints celebration of Thunderbirds 50th anniversary is released today, and is the only gold coin in the collection. We’ve covered every coin in the collection to date and we reckon the New Zealand Mint has done an excellent job with the designs. The first coin was a 1 oz silver version of the design you see here, and this was followed by five coins, each featuring one of the five Thunderbirds craft and the pilot that flys them.

All previous coins have been struck in 1 oz of fine silver, and this is the first coin that shares a design with an earlier one. While it’s a nice design, it’s a bit of a missed opportunity to do something different, maybe Lady Penelope & Parker, or the famous Tracy Island where International Rescue was based would’ve been a better subject matter for example.

Presented in the excellent wooden coin box the NZ Mint uses for its gold coins, only 1,000 will be struck and it will sell for $620.00 USD from today.

The greatest of Gerry Anderson’s puppet-based creations, Thunderbirds chronicles the adventures of International Rescue, a mysterious rescue organisation using ultra-advanced equipment to save lives. Set in 2065 and run by the Tracy Family, headed by ex-astronaut father Jeff and crewed by his five sons, the 32 episodes filmed are some of the most entertaining of their genre.

Filmed between 1964 and 1966, it used  pioneering scale-model special effects sequences in a hybrid filming technique they called “Supermarionation”. One if the most expensive television series of all time when it was filmed, the show spawned two movies in 1966 and 1968. A 2004 live-action movie was also released to a universal critical mauling and rightly so; an absolutely appalling movie that should be avoided like the plague.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

Gerry Anderson’s iconic Sci-Fi show blasted onto television screens in 1965. Using a unique puppet system known as SuperMarionation, Thunderbirds became an instant hit. Set in the year 2065 on a secret island base, the series stars the Tracy family, who together battle the forces of evil as ‘International Rescue’.

Included in this line up were five vehicles known as Thunderbirds. Piloted by the talented Tracy brothers, the dynamic combination ensured heroic search and rescue missions in each intrepid episode. Today Thunderbirds remains one of the most influential British Sci-Fi television shows of its era, and continues to play an influential part in modern culture.

REVERSE: This design features the Thunderbirds 50th Anniversary logo engraved against a polished background.

OBVERSE: This features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

PACKAGING: This stunning Thunderbirds 50 Years anniversary coin is presented in a classic wooden coin case. The high-quality packaging and uniquely numbered Certificate of Authenticity make this one of a kind release and a classy and nostalgic gift for any Thunderbirds fan or coin aficionado.

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