Mints celebrate the holiday season
The past several Christmas/Holiday seasons have seen more and more coins issued to celebrate the occasion. A few are from major mints. Many of the more recent issues are from…
The past several Christmas/Holiday seasons have seen more and more coins issued to celebrate the occasion. A few are from major mints. Many of the more recent issues are from smaller production houses.
Australia’s Perth Mint is in its eighth year of striking a distinctive silver 40.60 mm, 31.135 g (1 oz) .9999 fine, star-shaped, colorized Australian dollar. It can double as a tree ornament or be gifted embedded in an extra-special Christmas card. Mintage is 3,000.
Perth has also produced a Philatelic-Numismatic Cover in conjunction with Australia Post. Along with a 65-cent stamp the cover contains a selectively colored 30.60 mm, 13.50 g aluminum-bronze $1 showing a wrapped Christmas gift and decoration.
As in past years the Royal Canadian Mint has a considerable range of Christmas/Holiday Season issues. Most designs show secular and/or winter themes.
Top of the line is a 65.25 mm, 157.6 g (5 oz) .9999 fine silver proof 2018 $50. The reverse is decorated with a Murano glass poinsettia, each of which has been individually handcrafted. The design is by Marie-Élaine Cusson. Mintage is 1,500.
This year’s RCM ‘Holiday Gift Set” is similar to last year: blister-packed, folding-card-mounted $2, 25-cent, 10-cent, and 5-cent coins plus a specially designed Holiday $1 by Joel Kimmel.
And for those celebrating Christmas in warmer climes and who need a reminder of what it is all about, the RCM presents a trilogy of blue snowflakes on a 38 mm, 31.39 g .999 fine silver $20 proof.
For the second year running Britain’s Royal Mint has struck a 38.61mm, 28.28 g cupronickel seasonal £5. The reverse designs by Edwina Ellis shows a traditional, heavily decorated tree.
The BRM has also repeated last year’s 19.41 mm, 3/35 g .925 fine silver sixpence such as once delighted small children when found in their Christmas pudding. Such seasonal treats are probably banned today on health and safety grounds.
Meanwhile MDM Muenzhandelsgesellschaft added to its range of Christmas coins which has seen angels, snowmen, snowwomen and Rudolph appear in recent years. In 2017 they are contributing a couple of 32.5 mm, 8.75 g cupronickel 2018-dated half dollar angels courtesy of Samoa. Mintages are 10,000 apiece. One is silver plated and the other gold-plated.
Elsewhere at least two “Mickey & Friends” colorized .999 fine silver proofs offer seasonal greetings from Niue: a 40 mm, 31.1 g (1 oz) $2 and a 32mm, 15.57 g (1/2 oz) $1. The mintage of each is 10,000.
From Cameroon comes a 38.61 mm, 16.50 g .999 fine silver proof 500 francs. The colorized reverse shows a traditional rendering of the birth of Jesus in a stable. Alongside is a piercing in the shape of a Christmas tree. Mintage is 999.
For a third year Australia’s Melbourne Mint is selling a numismatic Advent Calendar. It comes with 24 windows that when opened over 24 days in December will reveal 24 different world coins. The full coin list is available at www.melbournemintcoins.com.au/shop/world-coin-advent-calendar.
Last, but far from least, Liechtenstein’s Coin Invest Trust is again bringing out its undated Golden Christmas Tree dollar struck for Palau. The tiny 11 mm, 0.5 g BU coin has a mintage of 15,000; an ideal stocking-filler.
But there’s more! Although no further images or mint details had reached your reporter by the editorial deadline a quick Google search by readers should yield any latecomers.
In the meantime a most merry numismatic Christmas to one and all. Happy Holidays! Ho! Ho! Ho!
This article was originally printed in World Coin News. >> Subscribe today.
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