Sylvester earns place on Tuvalu coin
Early August saw the release of Perth Mint’s fourth 50-cent coin celebrating “Looney Tunes.” This time around, the star is Warner Bros’ inimitable Sylvester J. Pussycat Sr. As with Bugs,…
Early August saw the release of Perth Mint’s fourth 50-cent coin celebrating “Looney Tunes.” This time around, the star is Warner Bros’ inimitable Sylvester J. Pussycat Sr.
As with Bugs, Daffy and Tweety Bird, the new partially colored coin is struck for Tuvalu on a 32.60 mm, 15.553 g (0.5 oz) .9999 fine silver flan. Mintage is 5,000.
Starting in 1939, the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons featured a number of Tuxedo cats. But the black-and-white feline known as Sylvester made his debut in “Life With Feathers” in 1945. He never looked back.
With his characteristic slobbery lisp, his trade mark “Sufferin’ succotash!”, and his tendency to spray other characters with saliva while talking, Sylvester went on to star in 103 cartoons. Three won Academy Awards: “Tweetie Pie,” “Speedy Gonzales,” and “Birds Anonymous” – the most for any Looney Tunes character.
And his name, by the way, is a play on Felis silvestris, the scientific name for the wild cat.
Copyright: LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. (s18)
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