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

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.

Issuing Country: Solomon Islands
Weight: 1/200 oz
Gold: .9999
Diameter: 15.2 x 8.6mm
Quality: Proof like
Mintage: 10 000

In western astrology, twelve zodiac and ascendant signs symbolise the cosmic power of the stars and their influence on life. A timeless tribute is now being paid to them with these valuable Gold bars!

Astronomy in its finest form – available in single blister!

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!”

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.

Denomination: 5£
Alloy: cu/ni
Weight: 28.28 g
Diameter: 38,6 mm
Quality Brilliant Uncirculated
Year: 2024

A beautiful celebration of the most significant symbol in Chinese culture
The first Lunar coin to feature the official coinage portrait of His Majesty The King

In 2024, Chinese New Year, The Year of the Dragon starts on 10 February. A joyful time that is marked by communities all over the world, friends and family will gather to enjoy traditional food, watch firework displays and gift children money in red envelopes. Each year is characterised by one of 12 zodiac animals, and 2024 sees the dragon in the ascendancy. Wise and powerful, the dragon is China’s most important cultural symbol and has come to represent confidence, courage and adventurousness. People born under its zodiac sign are said to possess these traits

Face value: 5 €
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 19.1 g
Metal: Brass
Mintage: 40,000

Obverse:
The obverse of the euro collector coin depicts a male European bison with trees in the background above and fallen branches in the foreground below. The Slovak coat of arms appears in the lower right of the design, just below the year of issuance ‘2024’. The name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’ is inscribed along part of the left edge. In the lower part of the design 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:
On the reverse, a depiction of a European bison’s head dominates the centre and right of the design. Above the head are the coin’s denomination and currency, ‘5 EURO’. The Slovak name of the European bison, ‘ZUBOR HRIVNATÝ’, is inscribed along the upper-left edge, and the scientific name, ‘BISON BONASUS’, is at the lower-left edge. The two names are separated by a beech twig with leaves and nuts.

The bison is Europe’s largest land mammal, with its build resembling that of cattle. It has a relatively short, rounded head and is covered with brown hair from head to tail. The forequarters are bulkier than the hindquarters and are further accentuated by longer hair. Strong, hollow horns are a permanent feature of both sexes and grow with age. Bison are most active at dusk, and their vision has adapted accordingly. Their best-developed senses are hearing and smell. They can live to around 35 years of age. Bison are a social animal that typically live in herds of 8 to 13 animals, though older males tend to be solitary. They feed mainly on green and woody plant matter, including branches, bark and leaves. They prefer younger forest stands with dense undergrowth. In winter, their staple food sources are brambles, tree bark, shrubs and dry grass, which they dig out from under the snow. The bison’s historical range extended almost throughout Europe. In Slovakia today, approximately 70 individuals of the species live wild on a reservation in the Poloniny National Park.