Two new silver bullion coins celebrate seldom-seen part of sea life.

The .999 fine silver coins issued by Barbados and Samoa each depict a seahorse, one of the most famous fishes in the ocean.

The obverse of the Barbados dollar displays the coat of arms along with the face value and purity. The golden shield of the arms carries two pride of Barbados flowers (the national flower) and the bearded fig tree (Ficus citrifolia). 

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On either side of the shield are the supporters — on the right is a dolphin, symbolic of the fishing industry, and on the left is a pelican, after Pelican Island, a small outcrop later incorporated into the Deep Water Harbour development. Above the shield is a helmet and mantling, and on a wreath is the arm and hand of a Bajan holding two crossed pieces of sugar cane symbolic of the sugar industry. The coat of arms carries the motto PRIDE AND INDUSTRY.

The reverse features a seahorse with images of ocean life in the background. The name of the coin, purity and year of issue are also on the reverse.

The coin from Barbados is an exclusive release of American Precious Metals Exchange and has a limited mintage of 10,000 pieces, each of which is enclosed in protective packaging.

APMEX has not disclosed the producer of the Barbados coin, which is legal tender in that nation. 

The 2-tala coin from Samoa also depicts a seahorse on the reverse, along with a mosaic motif somewhat resembling a stained glass window, representing the camouflage of its sea-grass bed near the ocean floor, where it attempts to elude its many predators.

The seahorse, its name acquired from its horse-like head, is native to several areas, including the tropical waters surrounding the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean, where it is most often found feeding or hiding in the ocean’s mangrove forests and sea grass beds.

The obverse of the Samoan coin features the Samoan crest along with the denomination.

The 2-tala coin has a mintage limit of 30,000 pieces, each of which is packaged in a protective plastic capsule. Multiples of five typically are sealed in a sheet, while multiples of 125 are packed in a larger box.

This coin, manufactured and distributed by Scottsdale Mint and legal tender in Samoa, is also distributed by APMEX.

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

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