The Twelve Olympians in the Zodiac - Hera & Aquarius Samoa 0.20 $ 2022 Gold plated Copper/Nickel coin

Face value: 5 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 62,2 g
Quality: Antiqefinish
Diameter: 45 mm
Mintage: 999

The second release in an interesting, thought provoking new series, this coin depicts the Greek Goddess, Aphrodite.

A twelve issue set, the Twelve Olympians of the Zodiac considers which of the traditional star signs coincide with the Gods of Olympus of Ancient Greece. For Aphrodite it is easy, for she is also known as the Roman goddess Venus, and Venus is the planetary ruler of Taurus!

According to some astrologists, those born under the sign of Taurus love pleasure! They know how to enjoy life, and are sure to make the most of every moment - just like the Goddess Aphrodite!

Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Scorpio is the second Mars sign, and the one that most relates to Ares: while the fiery aspects of Aries might relate to him to some extent, it’s the more emotional Scorpio that resonates closer to him and his primal nature. As the later Autumn sign, Scorpio is related to Winter’s start, and thus to sunset-like conditions: as the Sun dims, so does life. Scorpio is defined by it’s loyalty bordering on possessiveness, as well as a rather strong impulsive nature but consciously made subtle or even outright hidden. Ares displays a surprising amount of loyalty to his family, even when most of Olympus doesn’t like him very much, and while numerous, his affairs are occult, unlike Zeus’ or Apollo’s. This reflects water as darkness: driven by strong impulses, but with the element of mystery and hidden nature. Due to Scorpio’s vindictiveness and hidden nature, it is often considered the most malign of the signs, just as Ares is the most distrusted of the Olympians, but neither are “evil” and while unpleasant they are necessary for the inner workings of nature. Darkness is after all important to health in it’s Melatonin friendliness, especially when it’s connected to water.

Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Artemis still remains intrinsic to the Sagittarius sign to this day: after all, who among the Olympians is the archer goddess, associated with the forests and the primeval might of the centaur? Like her brother Apollo, Artemis is a goddess of fiery arrows, illuminating the darkness and destroying those who offend her, and her role in this department might even be more relevant than her brother's. Sagittarius is also the first sign of the night as the beginning of the winter, relating to Artemis' intrinsic nature as a goddess of moonlight. The association of Sagittarius with Artemis also relates to her cult's rivalry with primitive Christianity: Sagittarius is the sign of truth and knowledge, and Artemis is the light bearer.

Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Hephaestus‘ correspondence with Libra is derived from his role as the smith god. By crafting fire, he made the weapons that the gods use to impose justice, down to the scales of Dike, the goddess of justice, often thought to be the woman depicted in the sign. As just, Hephaestus is a god of innovation, taming the chaos of the flames to produce items to impose civilization.

Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm
Mintage: 3000

Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Hestia's main sign if Capricorn, which stresses her more subtle but relevant nature. Capricorn, like Sagittarius, also stresses order, stability and stoicness. More so, it takes theses traits further and is a sign associated with practicality, hard work, strong will and stubbornness. Hestia, as the perpetual tender of the flames, is definitely a very hard working and practical goddess, and while I by no means would refer to her as “stubborn”, she does have a strong will in what little myths she appears in. Capricorn is also relevant in it’s role in the Zodiac. It’s the sign that covers the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is at it’s lowest, being opposite to Cancer. Thus, not only does it coincide with the time of the year where Hestia’s influence is most important, as well as to her role as the center, it also coincides with a liminal time in the Zodiac, when the Sun is reborn.

Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Poseidon, as the god of water and of the sea, is the lord of sea creatures, so the sign of the pair of fish is more than appropriate. Pisces, however, also dives deeper in Poseidon’s realm. For starters, it is associated with the feet, and Poseidon is also a god of the earth, of tremors and geological processes, closely tied to water eroding rocks. The sea is also considered to be where the pillars of the universe are located in most western Eurasian religions, and in Greek thought Poseidon’s realm extends even to the Underworld, where the four rivers run, a connection particularly important in the more chthonic versions of Hellenic religion. If Cancer is the Moon and it’s spiritual essence while Scorpio is blood and the impulses, with Aquarius also representing sky waters, Pisces is simply the pure nature of water as an element, symbolizing the immensity of the seas and the many freshwater bodies. It’s the sign of mutability and change, resonating with water’s classical attribute as well as the very real quick and natural changes into ice, liquid, gas or cloud and also the currents. It also symbolizes Spring waters, be them from rains or melting snow and ice, feeding the fields and civilization, acting as water changing the surrounding environment.

Face value: 30 Canadian dollars
Composition 99.99% pure silver
Finish: proof
Weight: 62,69 g
Diameter: 50 mm
Mintage 4,000

The stargazers of ancient Greece referred to it as zodiakos kyklos, the “circle of animals,” and on this 99.99% pure silver coin from the Royal Canadian Mint, the artistic representation of the Zodiac was partly inspired by the marble statues of the Classical period. Running counter clockwise in zodiacal order around the Sun and Moon, each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac – from Aries (“1”) to Pisces (“12”) – is represented by a classical figure in the outer circle and a corresponding glyph in the inner portion, while touches of celestial colours speak to humanity’s fascination with the night sky.

Enhanced with selective colour, the reverse design by artist Steve Hepburn features an engraved celestial illustration of the Sun and Moon surrounded by the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Inspired by classical Greek sculpture, the figures representing each sign on the outer circle are paired with their corresponding glyph in the second band, which is set against a colourful night sky, and these are numbered based on their zodiacal order (beginning at the top and moving in a counterclockwise direction): Aries (“1”), Taurus (“2”), Gemini (“3”), Cancer (“4”), Leo (“5”), Virgo (“6”), Libra (“7”), Scorpio (“8”), Sagittarius (“9”), Capricorn (“10”), Aquarius (“11”) and Pisces (“12”). The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The obverse also bears a special marking that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign.

Steve Hepburn, Artist
“Next time you’re checking out the astrology section in your paper or online, remember that the earliest recorded horoscope dates back to the 4th century BCE in ancient Mesopotamia—this should give you some perspective on our enduring fascination with astrology. With their deep symbolic meaning and unique characters, the signs of the zodiac are a wonderful subject for any artist to work with. This was a fun project to be a part of, and that I’ll never look at the daily horoscope section the same way again!”

Denomination: 0,25 €
Alloy: Cupro-nickel Nordicgold
Weight: 15,8 g
Diameter: 34 mm
Quality Brilliant Uncirculated
Year: 2023

Surrounded by plum blossom, a popular symbol in Chinese history, art, and lanterns, the rabbit’s depiction appeals to children. The inscription 'Year of the rabbit’ and the year date appear at the center of the coin. The ideogram of the rabbit appears below.

Face value: 5 €
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 19.1 g
Metal: Brass
Mintage: 45,000

Obverse:
The obverse depicts a male western capercaillie in a heathland environment, together with a female of the species in the lower right of the design. In the background are conifer trees and an upright, splintered tree trunk. The Slovak coat of arms appears on the right side of the design, below the coin’s denomination and currency: ‘5 EURO’. Inscribed along the top edge are the name of the issuing country and the year of issuance: ‘SLOVENSKO 2024’. Next to the right edge is the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies.

Reverse:
The reverse is dominated by an image of a male western capercaillie perched on a branch. The Slovak name of the species, ‘HLUCHÁŇ HÔRNY’, is inscribed along the bottom edge of the design, while the scientific name, ‘TETRAO UROGALLUS’, appears along the upper left edge. To the right of the capercaillie is the tip of a pine branch with a cone, next to which are the stylised letters ‘TL’, referring to the coin’s designer Tomáš Lamač.

The western capercaillie is one of the largest bird species in Slovakia. The cock is black except for a bluish-green metallic sheen on the chest and for chestnut-brown wings with a white spot on the bow. The feathers below the beak are elongated and protruding, and above each eye there is a bright red spot of skin. The relatively long black tail feathers have whitish spots and broaden at the end. The hen is plainer, with a chestnut-brown, mottled plumage and a noticeable rust-coloured breast patch. The young are similar in appearance to the hen, though with somewhat less pronounced mottling. In Slovakia, the western capercaillie is found in coniferous and mixed forests at altitudes from 600 to 1,550 metres above sea level. The species thrives in scattered swathes of old, primeval-like mountain forest. The western capercaillie nests on the ground, in a shallow depression lined with dry leaves, twigs, and grass blades or pine needles. Egg-laying occurs in April-May, with the hen typically laying six to nine yellowish-brown speckled eggs. In winter and early spring, the western capercaillie feeds almost entirely on pine needles, shoots and buds, while in the summer its diet extends to various berries and plant leaves, plus an animal component consisting mainly of insects. The western capercaillie is a solitary creature, except when the two sexes come together in the mating season. During courting, the cock postures himself with raised and fanned tail feathers, erect neck, and beak pointed skywards. The western capercaillie is a protected species in Slovakia.

Face value: Samoa 0,25$
Weight: 40gr
Diameter: 40 mm
Mintage: 6666

Proof copper coin with partial gold plating

In East Asian Buddhism, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities.

Denomination: 0,25 €
Alloy: Cupro-nickel Nordicgold
Weight: 15,8 g
Diameter: 34 mm
Quality Brilliant Uncirculated
Year: 2025
In Chinese culture, the snake is the most enigmatic animal of the zodiac.

Natives of the Snake sign are rather secretive and cautious. They are renowned for their wise and calm nature.

According to legend, during the race to select the animals of the zodiac, the cunning serpent secretly slipped onto the horse's hoof and took sixth place. This story reflects his strategic intelligence.

Surrounded by plum blossom, a popular symbol in Chinese history, art, and lanterns, the snake depiction appeals to children. The inscription 'Year of the snake’ and the yeardate appear at the center of the coin. The ideogram of the snake appears below.

On the reverse side, all the animals of the Chinese zodiac are drawn in a cartoon-like way around the Ying and Yang symbol. A complete cycle of the Chinese zodiac will be composed from 2018 to 2029. Each of these twelve years features an animal from this calendar. The face value is visible in the center of the coin as well as the symbol "RF".