Instead of celebrating history, Austria’s newest coin series will make history for the Austrian Mint.

The Colourful Creatures’ 12-coin series will be the first time that the Austrian Mint uses glow-in-the-dark technology for coins.

The series, which highlights certain nocturnal species, begins Oct. 5,  with one new coin to be released every three months (across three years) until all 12 pieces are issued. The animals featured become active at night, on the coins by glowing in the dark; appropriately, the bat is the first subject of the series on the sole 2016 coin. 

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The four subjects due for honor on the 2017 coins are the tiger, crocodile, kingfisher and wolf. The four animals on the 2018 coins are parrot, shark, owl and frog. The final year of the program will feature the turtle, otter and crayfish.

All of the coins will be denominated €3, Austria’s first coins of that denomination. 

Austrian Mint officials are targeting young collectors with the coins, noting in marketing material that “the series obviously has special appeal for children, who can enjoy them even after they have gone to bed.”

However, Mint officials fully expect the series to draw attention from collectors of all ages, just as the silver-niobium series, which is a perennial favorite. 

The obverse features a specific design related to the main subject, while a common reverse design celebrates all 12 animals in the series.

The copper-nickel coins weigh 16 grams and measure 34 millimeters in diameter, with a mintage limit of 50,000 pieces to feature each animal. 

Demand is expected to be huge, according to sales director Andrea Lang.

In the United States, American Precious Metals Exchange will offer the coins, but pricing is not yet available.

For more information, or to order the coins, visit the distributor’s website.