The Twelve Olympians in the Zodiac - Hermes & Cancer. Samoa 0.20 $ 2021 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

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

As the King of the gods, Zeus‘ connection with Leo is appropriate as it is the "king of the Zodiac signs". The connection gains a lot more weight in mythology: Zeus is closely associated with Helios, perhaps even more so than Apollo, as Helios is referred as "the eye of Zeus" and is referred as Zeus in his own Orphic hymn. Aether (the primordial light that illumines the Heavens) is "Zeus' power", and his role as the god of civilization, justice and law is very similar to that of sun gods like Shamash and Ra (Apollo also shares these traits, as he too is a god of justice and law). Zeus is outright referred as the Sun in some particular Greco-roman religious traditions like Pythagorean philosophy, where he is the supramundane Sun of the Olympians.As the Sun symbolizes the center, so is Leo's position in the Zodiac indicative.

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

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: 5 €
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 19.1 g
Metal: Brass
Mintage: 35,000

3. coin from the series “Fauna and Flora of Slovakia”.

Obverse:
The obverse of this euro collector coin shows a Tatra chamois standing on a rock on which several edelweiss flowers, protected under Slovak law, are growing. The name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’ appears in the lower right of the design, above the Slovak coat of arms and, to the right of it, the year of issuance ‘2022’. The denomination and currency ‘5 euro’ are inscribed in the upper part. Next to the left edge are the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies, and the stylised letters ‘KL’, referring to the coin’s designer Karol Ličko.

Reverse:
The reverse features the head and upper body of a Tatra chamois, with the head bisecting the background depiction of a rocky mountain range. The Slovak and scientific names of the chamois are each inscribed on three lines, with ‘KAMZÍK VRCHOVSKÝ TATRANSKÝ’ appearing to the left of the chamois and ‘RUPICAPRA RUPICAPRA TATRICA’ to the right.

Just as the Tatras are a symbol of Slovakia, so the chamois is a symbol of the Tatras. The Tatra mountain ranges are among the world’s smallest alpine ranges and are evidently suitable places for a creature as remarkable as the chamois to live in safety. It is not by chance that the Tatra national parks of both Slovakia and Poland feature the chamois in their logos. The Tatras’ deep valleys, rocky ridges, sharp peaks and mountain lakes have been the cradle and grave of chamois for millennia. The Tatra chamois is one of a few living links to the last ice age, its population being what experts call a ‘glacial relict’. The chamois live in herds with a social way of life. Some herds comprise more than 50 individuals. The total population of chamois on the Slovak and Polish sides of the Tatras currently numbers around 1,400. The Tatra chamois, or Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica, was classified as a separate subspecies in 1971 (by Milič Blahout). In Slovakia, pure Tatra chamois are found only in the High Tatras, Western Tatras and Belianske Tatras. The chamois are a cultural treasure, a symbol of both the Tatras and Slovakia as a whole. It is of the utmost importance to keep their Tatra habitats as undisturbed as possible and to behave responsibly and respectfully when present there.

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.

Materiall: CuNi
Weight: 9g
Diameter: 26,9 mm
Mintage: 100 000


The German government has decided to mint a €5 collectors’ coin entitled “Banded demoiselle”, to be issed at 9 November 2023. It is the fifth coin issued as part of the “Wonderful world of insects” series, which will see a total of nine coins with partially coloured motifs issued over the period 2022-24. The series is intended to bring into focus – especially in light of current developments (insect extinction) – a special group of animals that make up a significant part of our natural heritage.

The €5 collectors’ coin “Banded demoiselle” is made of a cupronickel alloy. It weighs 9.68 g, measures 27.25 mm in diameter and will be available both in mint condition and with a proof-like finish. The mint condition coins will be brought into circulation at their face value (€5). The collector quality coins with a proof-like finish will be higher than their face value and will be issued by the Münze Deutschland (Germany’s official sales agency for collector coins).

The coin was designed by Detlef Behr, an artist based in Cologne (picture side), and Andre Witting, a Berlin-based artist (reverse).

The reverse, which will be used for all coins in the series, features an eagle, the words “BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND”, the value and denomination, the year 2023, the twelve stars of Europe and the letter “J” for the State Mint of Hamburg.

Its smooth edge is engraved with the inscription: “WUNDERWELT INSEKTEN” (WONDERFUL WORLD OF INSECTS)

Face vakue: 3 euro
Diameter; 32 mm
Weight: 15,0 g
Alloy: Bimetal;CuNi, nordic gold
Quality: UNC

Issuing Country: France
Face value: 5 €
Metal: Copper/Nickel
Diameter: 29 mm
Quality: B.U.
Mintage: 25 000

The gift of a coin to a child is a lasting and timeless gift. Each coin is engraved with the year, making it a unique and personalised gift. The coin can be kept for life, marking the start of a precious collection that could grow over the years. It's a symbolic gift that crosses generations. Whether for a birth, christening or any other special occasion, this collection is perfect for celebrating life's precious moments.

The obverse shows a fox on a walk in the forest. His gait is light and cheerful as he is on his way to celebrate the arrival of a new-born in the forest. He is holding in his paw the gift he will give to this new baby. The golden crown of this coin further enhances the happy fox on the silver insert.


The cardlet in which this coin is sold makes it an ideal little gift to mark an event in a child's life.