Pope Francis does not appear on the eight denominations of euro coins minted for Vatican City for release in March. The current pope’s coat of arms replaces a depiction of the pontiff, who is celebrated as a champion of the poor and someone who eschews the trappings of wealth.
The sixth planet from the sun is the first subject of a planned eight-year series of Solar System silver-niobium ringed-bimetallic coins from Palau. Saturn, the second-largest planet in the solar system, is the first honoree in a commemorative coin program for the tiny island nation.
Germany’s annual Bundeslander series of circulating commemorative €2 coins continues in 2017. The program honors each of Germany’s 18 states. The 2017 coin, the 12th in a series that began in 2006, celebrates the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It depicts the Porta Nigra in Trier, which is probably the best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps.
This year’s annual shooting festival will be held in Glarus, the capital city of the similarly named Swiss Canton of Glarus, deep in the Swiss Alps in east-central Switzerland. The 2017 silver and gold medals (they are not coins) share common obverse and reverse designs, save for a redeemable value indication on the reverse.
One of 10 known examples of a silver sestertius from the short reign of Roman emperor Divus Titus starred in Dix Noonan Webb’s Feb. 15 auction, shattering the pre-auction estimate range. It sold for £372,000 ($464,981 U.S.), including the 20 percent buyer’s fee, on a pre-sale estimate of between £60,000 and £80,000.
An international coin program using deep relief turns to an American subject for a 2017 offering. MDM, a wholesaler and retailer based in Germany, used what it calls “four layer minting technology” to produce a $10 coin depicting the United States Capitol.
The Protestant Reformation 500 years ago has left a lasting impact on the world. Swissmint marks the anniversary of the Reformation with a 2017 noncirculating, legal tender .835 fine silver 20-franc coin.
The tragic World War II sinking of an Australian warship carrying many noncombatants is the subject of the Royal Australian Mint’s newest commemorative coin. The 2017 20-cent coin depicts the SS Vyner Brooke’s torturous journey while the packaging features related images.
Maui trade dollars have been issued in a long string going back decades. These tokens are issued for use on Maui but are often retained as souvenirs of a visit to Hawaii. The current series began in 1992 and continues to be issued today, with a $2 face value.
The ninth edition of "Gold Coins of the World," by Arthur L. Friedberg and Ira S. Friedberg, is now available from book sellers. The all-new edition contains approximately a thousand new listings not in the previous edition. The newest edition calls on the expertise of more than 100 expert contributors and consultants from around the globe.
