Beautiful World Coins

The 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Proof Dollar Coin

2010-02-25T11:22:03-07:00

The United States Mint commemorates our disabled veterans’ courage, loyalty and sacrifice with this 2010 silver proof coin featuring an image of the legs and boots of three veterans.

The American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act was passed by Congress and authorizes the United States Mint to mint and issue commemorative silver dollar coins in proof and uncirculated versions to honor these heroes. The images on the 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar capture the service of the brave men and women who have honored us with their selfless duty to defend our country. These veterans often carry permanent life-altering disabilities that serve as strong reminders of the price of freedom. Surcharges from the sale of this coin are authorized to be paid to the Disabled Veterans’ LIFE Memorial Foundation to support the construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The obverse of this coin features an image of the legs and boots of three veterans. The inscription in the banner along the upper rim, THEY STOOD UP FOR US, pays tribute to our courageous disabled veterans who have survived military service injuries for our freedom. Additional inscriptions are IN GOD WE TRUST, 2010 and LIBERTY. The reverse design depicts a forget-me-not flower at the base of a wreath wrapped in a ribbon that cradles and supports clusters of oak branches. The oak branches represent strength, while the forget-me-not is a widely recognized icon that first served as a reminder of those who fought and became disabled in World War I. The inscriptions are Take This Moment to Honor Our Disabled Defenders of Freedom, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and ONE DOLLAR.

Mint: Philadelphia

Year: 2010

Face value: 1 Dollar

Finish: Proof

Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

Size: 38.1 mm

Weight: 26.73 grams

Mintage: 350,000 (across all product options)

Coins for the Polish Olympic Team at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

2010-01-26T22:07:29-07:00

The National Bank of Poland just issued three coins commemorating the Polish Olympic Team at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. Poland is expecting ambitious performances, new personal and national records and sportsmanlike conduct from Polish winter athletes.

For the first time in history, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games will be held in a closed-roof stadium. The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France, in January and February 1924. They were then held as the International Winter Sports Week events, and were officially proclaimed the First Winter Olympic Games only a year later. The Polish national team, present at the competition among 16 national teams, consisted of only nine sportsmen.

All three coins show a stylized image of a maple leaf, a stylized logo of the Polish Olympic Committee, POLSKA REPREZENTACJA OLIMPIJSKA VANCOUVER 2010 (Polish Olympic Team Vancouver 2010), the face value, a stylized image of a snowflake, RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA (Republic of Poland), the year of issue, an image of the Eagle established as the emblem of the Republic of Poland, and the Mint’s mark. The gold coin shows a male cross-country skier. The silver coin shows two male speed skaters and a male biathlete. The 2Zl coin shows a male ski jumper.

Mint: Warsaw

Year: 2010

Face value: 200, 10 and 2 zlotych

Finish: Proof (200Zt, 10Zt) and Standard (2Zt)

Composition: 90% Gold (200Zt), 92.5% Silver (10Zt) and 89% Copper, 5% Zinc, 5% Aluminum, 1% Nickel (2Zt)

Size: 27 mm (200Zt, 2Zt) and 32 mm (10Zt)

Weight: 15.5 grams (200Zt), 14.14 grams (10Zt) and 8.15 grams (2Zt)

Mintage: 8,000 (200Zt), 80,000 (10Zt), and 1,400,000 (2Zt)

The Colorful 2010 Clownfish Silver Proof Coin from Australia

2010-01-05T17:33:28-07:00

Issued by the Perth Mint as part of the Australian Sea Life Series, this 2010 silver proof coin shows a clownfish, one of the most eagerly anticipated sights of any dive on Australia’s world-famous tropical reef systems.

Bright orange with three black-bordered white stripes, this remarkable fish has natural protection from the stinging cells on the waving tentacles of the sea anemone in which it prefers to live. Growing up to 8 cm in length, Clownfish occur in sheltered tropical waters, including the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

Like the other releases from this Australian Sea Life Series celebrating five fascinating reef dwellers (the 2009 Lionfish, the 2009 Leafy Sea Dragon, the 2010 Seahorse and the 2010 Moray Eel), this coin is struck from 1/2oz of 99.9% pure silver in proof quality. The reverse of each coin includes The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2010

Face value: 50 Cents

Finish: Proof with Colored Reverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 26.6 mm

Weight: 15.573 grams

Mintage: 10,000

The Pheidippidis' Marathon Run 2,500th Anniversary 2010 Silver Proof High-Relief Coin

2009-11-03T10:57:27-07:00

Issued by the Perth Mint as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu, the Pheidippidis' Marathon Run 2,500th Anniversary Silver Proof High-Relief Coin features Pheidippidis’ arrival in Athens at the end of his famous run, where legend suggests he proclaimed victory with the word “nenikhkamen” (we have won) before expiring.

According to tradition, this year marks the 2,500th anniversary of Pheidippidis’ 25-mile run to Athens with news of the Greek army’s historic triumph at the Battle of Marathon in 490BC. His remarkable long-distance achievement inspired the introduction of Olympic marathon running in 1896, and has also influenced countless ordinary joggers to attempt the grueling 26.22 miles at one of today’s many high-profile marathon events.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2010

Face value: $1

Finish: Proof with High-Relief Reverse & Obverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 32.6 mm

Weight: 31.135 grams

Mintage: 5,000

The 2010 Year of the Tiger Silver Proof Lunar Lotus Coin from Canada

2009-10-29T11:46:11-06:00

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces this beautiful 2010 Year of the Tiger Silver Proof $15 Coin, the first coin in a 12-year series featuring unique scalloped-shaped coins, reminiscent of a lotus flower.

The Year of the Tiger also ruled 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986 and 1998. However, people born in January or February should consult the Chinese lunar calendar. New Year does not automatically fall on January 1st. This celebration is better known as the Spring Festival and coincides with the first day of spring—a date that shifts from year to year depending upon the lunar cycle and solar year.

The year 2010 is ruled by the Tiger, a majestic animal. The Tiger personality is equally impressive; powerful and daring. Expect a lot of activity when the dynamic Tiger is in your midst. The Tiger is restless and reckless, always ready for action. His zest for life is contagious. The Tiger is incredibly funny, impulsive and sometimes quick-tempered. He may not be the most objective leader, but his fiery passion and fearlessness ultimately capture people’s admiration and respect.

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2010

Face value: 15 Dollars

Finish: Proof

Composition: 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper

Size: 38 mm

Weight: 26.29 grams

Mintage: 19,888

The Sun Limited Edition 2010 Silver Proof Ultra-High Relief Coin from Canada

2009-10-07T19:33:34-06:00

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces this 2010 Limited Edition Silver Proof Ultra-High Relief Coin featuring the Sun.

Since time immemorial, the sun has been a powerful symbol for people throughout the world. It has also been a cornerstone in the culture of Canada’s many First Nations communities, representing life, abundance, healing and peace. The sun was carved on masks and totem poles and is the symbol that currently crowns the world’s tallest totem located in Alert Bay (British Columbia). One First Nations legend recounts how Raven released the sun from a box. People believed the Sun Chief could be reached by climbing a chain of arrows, and that he descended from the sky each day by sliding down the sun’s long rays.

The design of this beautiful coin has been crafted in ultra-high relief, an exceptional level of sculpting that requires significant hand crafting and polishing. Slight inconsistencies in the quality of the surface are normal for this ultra-high relief process. This coin is a stunning addition to the Mint's growing gallery of First Nations-inspired coin designs issued in celebration of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2010

Face value: 1 Dollar

Finish: Frosted relief on a proof-like field

Composition: 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper

Size: 36.15 mm

Weight: 30 grams

Mintage: 5,000

The 2010 Dromaeosaurus silver proof $4 coin, the last of the dinosaur coins from Canada

2009-10-03T18:55:39-06:00

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the 2010 Dromaeosaurus silver proof coin, the fourth and last coin in the Dinosaurs series celebrating Western Canada's reputation as a treasure trove of fossil specimens. The dinosaurs' fossilized bones testify to the massive beasts that once ruled the earth but disappeared suddenly 65 million years ago. Discovered by paleontologists in the late 1800's, they inspired generations of dinosaur hunters and established Canada as one of the richest sources of Late Cretaceous fossils on earth.

*** 10/28/09 Update: The Royal Canadian Mint just announced that this very popular dinosaur coin series will be extended! A 5th coin will be issued in the Fall of 2010. ***

Dromaeosaurus (or “running lizard”) was one of two raptor species that lived in Alberta between 74 and 76 million years ago when the province and neighboring Saskatchewan were the lush subtropical shore of a great inland sea. These dinosaurs ran upright on their two hind legs. They measured about 2.5 m (8.25 ft) from head to tail and would normally weigh less than 20 kg (44 lb). They had clawed hands on their fore limbs and sharp, recurved teeth that were perfectly designed for slicing into prey.

This coin features a captivating design of fossilized dinosaur bones with a selective aging technique that enhances the characteristics of these prehistoric creatures, giving the impression of a real stone fossil. Variations in tone and color are a direct result of this process. No two coins are alike.

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2010

Face value: 4 Dollars

Finish: Proof

Composition: 99.99% Silver

Size: 34 mm

Weight: 15.87 grams

Mintage: 20,000

The previous dinosaur coin in this series was the 2009 Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing 2009 50 Cents Coin from Australia

2009-09-02T10:02:03-06:00

The Royal Australian Mint celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing with the introduction of this commemorative 2009 dodecagonal 50 cent coin featuring the lunar module in space on its way to Tranquility base on the Moon. The incorporation of pad printing techniques to represent the vast expanse of the night sky is merged with an optically intriguing design which illustrates the foreground/ background relationship that the Moon and the Earth share.

Apollo 11 was the first manned missionto land on the Moon. On July 21, 1969, the first human being set foot on another celestial body, arguably the single greatest accomplishment and technical achievent of all time. This feat of ingenuity was a unifying event of global proportions, made possible by the cooperation of people from many countries, including Australia.

Mint: Canberra

Year: 2009

Face value: 50 Cents

Finish: Uncirculated

Composition: Cupro/Nickel

Size: 31.51 mm

Weight: 15.55 grams

Mintage: N/A

The 2009 International Year of Astronomy Silver Proof 30-Dollar Coin from Canada

2009-08-06T16:13:09-06:00

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces this 2009 International Year of Astronomy silver proof coin featuring an observatory with a universe of heavenly wonders shimmering within and around the beautifully painted night sky.

Over centuries, seekers watched and charted, recorded and theorized. And then, in 1609, Galileo Galilei peered through his telescope. He saw that the moon was not smooth, but covered with craters. He discovered the four moons of Jupiter and Saturn's rings. He concluded that the Milky Way was composed of stars and advanced the study of sunspots. Galileo's telescope was arguably the genesis of modern scientific instruments, launching a new age that took humanity's perceptions a quantum leap forward, far beyond the physical confines of earth.

Before the end of the 17th century, new concepts like the speed of light and universal gravity were born. By the 1890's, the fundamentals of rocket science were taking shape, less than a century before the first object began orbiting the earth. Within a wink of astronomical time, people were walking on the moon and robotic probes were exploring all the planets of the solar system.

For four hundred years, Galileo's vision for the power of evidence-based scientific enquiry has enriched human understanding of the natural world. And with cutting-edge technology, the inter-galactic expedition that is astronomy has become increasingly accessible, inspiring countless people to ponder its mysteries. As renowned Canadian astronomer/educator Helen Sawyer Hogg reminds us, "The stars belong to everyone." Come explore...

For information on the International Year of Astronomy in Canada, visit www.astronomy2009.ca

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2009

Face value: 30 Dollars

Finish: Proof

Composition: 92.5% Silver

Size: 40 mm

Weight: 33.75 grams

Mintage: 10,000

Optimus Prime and Megatron - Transformers Silver Proof Coins from Australia

2009-07-05T14:51:54-06:00

Issued by the Perth Mint as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu, the 2009 Transformers silver proof coins feature two robot characters: MEGATRON, the evil leader of the DECEPTICONS, and OPTIMUS PRIME, the leader of the AUTOBOTS, a faction of heroic Transformers. Produced in collaboration with Dreamworks, Paramount and Hasbro, both coins incorporate the inscription TRANSFORMERS and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

Based on a popular 1980s TV series, Transformers attracts audiences ranging from teens to those who enjoyed the small-screen version. The Transformers come from the planet Cybertron and are able to "transform", rearranging their bodies into common or innocuous forms, including vehicles, devices or animals.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2009

Face value: $1

Finish: Proof with colored reverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 40.6 mm

Weight: 31.135 grams

Mintage: 5,000 each