"Wonderland of insects" - Red mason bee. Germany 5€ 2023 commemorative coin

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

2.nd issue of a series of 9 coins "Wonderland of insects"


One of our most common ladybirds, the black-on-red markings of the 7-spot ladybird are very familiar. Ladybirds are a gardeners best friend as they eat insects that love to nibble on garden plants! You can encourage them into your garden by putting up a bug box. The bright colours of ladybirds warn predators that they are distasteful, although some birds may still have a go at eating them. As well as their warning coloration, ladybirds also have another defence mechanism: when handled, they release a pungent, yellow substance from their joints (a form of 'controlled bleeding') that can stain the hands.

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

It is the third 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 “Swallowtail” 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 Bastian Prillwitz, an artist based in Berlin (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 “G” for the State Mint of Karlsruhe.

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

Country: Tokelau
Year: 2019
Face Value: 1 Dollar x 3
Metal; Cupronickel
Weight: 26 g x 3
Diameter: 40 mm
Quality: Prooflike
Mintage: 5.000 pcs
Presentation case

This beautiful Gold plated coin Set is dedicated to one of the most famou novel written by English author Mary Shelley – Frankenstein. The coins have a beautiful colouration, have a wonderful Gold plating, have a Proof quality and come in an elegant presentation case, along with the Certificate of Authenticity. Limited mintage to 5.000 pieces worldwide.

Quality: Special Uncirculated
Face Value: 5 Euro
Diameter: 28,5 mm
Copper: 99,9%
Total Weight: 8,5 g
Mintage: 50 000
Comes without packaging

Why talk when you can dance instead? That’s how bees communicate. Their ‘waggle dance’ is a wonderful phenomenon and one that not only bees themselves benefit from. Other living creatures, including humans, do so too, because bees are a vital part of our ecosystem: their welfare is our welfare.

In the early 20th century, the unusual behaviour of honeybees piqued the curiosity of behavioural scientist Karl von Frisch (1886–1982), who grew up in Vienna. He was intrigued by the way the insects sometimes move in circles and perform a figure of-eight ‘waggle dance’. In time, von Frisch discovered that when doing so, bees are in fact ‘speaking’ a dance language to the other members of their hive to show them where they can find pollen and nectar. Although originally disputed by other scientists, von Frisch’s theory eventually earned him the Nobel Prize in 1973.

The ‘round dance’, in which bees walks in a circle, turn around, then walk the same circle in the opposite direction, tells watching bees that there are flowers with pollen in the immediate vicinity of the hive. When the food source is further away, the waggle dance tells the watching bees how far it is and in which direction they can find it. A representation of the waggle dance is shown in the background on the coin’s reverse, behind a bee in flight and above a decorative honeycomb deign. The obverse of the nine-sided coin shows the coats of arms of all the provinces of Austria. Not just for nature lovers, whether in copper or silver, Waggle Dance makes for a great spring or Easter gift.
In the early 20th century, the unusual behavior of honey bees piqued the curiosity of behavioral scientist Karl von Frisch (1886–1982), who grew up in Vienna. He was intrigued by the way the insects sometimes move in circles and perform a figure-of-eight ‘waggle dance’. In time, von Frisch discovered that when doing so, bees are in fact ‘speaking’ a dance language to the other members of their hive to show them where they can find pollen and nectar. Although originally disputed by other scientists, von Frisch’s theory eventually earned him the Nobel Prize in 1973 for achievements in comparative behavioural physiology and pioneering work in communication between insects. It is not just bees themselves that benefit from this wonderful phenomenon, as other living creatures, including humans, do so too. Honey bees, wild bees and bumble bees are a vital part of the ecosystem: their welfare is our welfare.

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

Hera is described as taking the sign of Aquarius due to her opposition to her husband , which I take both literally meaning their personalities as well as the simple fact that the two signs are opposite in the Zodiac. Leo and Aquarius are the signs most associated with humanitarian traits: Leo is the leader, the king, while Aquarius is associated with intellectual drives and understanding. As represented by the King and Queen of the gods, both are necessary for society’s functioning, for stability and peace to prosper via righteousness and understanding. Both are also associated with personal pride, with Leo being the more emotional narcissism while Aquarius is a more detached vanity. Both are also associated with the natural forces of the sky: whereas Leo is the bright midday Sun, Aquarius is associated with clouds and mist. Fitting, thus, that Hera and Zeus are the gods that rule the heavens and Olympos, Zeus being the bright Aether and Hera the sky rains, both being the main agents of storms and of calm weather.

Country: Vatican City
Mintage year: 2023
Face value: 20 euro
Diameter: 32.00 mm
Weight: 15.00 g
Alloy: Copper
Quality: BU
Mintage: 26 500 pcs

The Vatican State Mint continues its “Art and Faith” series by dedicating the 20 euro copper coin to Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam. Artist Antonella Napolione reproduces on the coin’s reverse side one of the world’s most celebrated and renowned paintings: The Creation of Adam. This fresco was painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti around 1511 and is part of the vault of the Sistine Chapel. Adam, lying on the ground, turns his gaze toward the Creator by extending his left hand toward Him. God, suspended in a cloud, extends His right hand towards Adam in the act of giving him life.

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

The black stork is an unmistakable bird species. The adult has mainly black plumage with white underparts, long coral red legs and a long pointed beak. The beak and eye areas are the same colour as the legs, and the black plumage has an intense greenish-purple sheen. Adults weigh between around 2.4 kg and 3.2 kg. Black storks are distributed throughout most of Europe and Asia, and most forest areas of Slovakia are nesting sites for these birds. They typically nest in mature deciduous and mixed forests, preferring areas with wetlands and watercourses where they can forage for food. They select large trees with strong horizontal branches and show high fidelity to breeding sites and nesting trees. The base of the nest is formed by thick branches, while the interior is lined with twigs, clumps of grass, lichens and moss. The female lays two to four eggs. Both parents feed the fledglings by regurgitating food onto the nest floor. Black storks feed on smaller fish, amphibians, insects, gastropods, small mammals and small birds. They migrate to wintering grounds mainly in August and September. In Slovakia, the black stork is a protected species.
Obverse:
The obverse of the euro collector coin depicts a black stork hunting on a body of water. In the background is a tree with a stork’s nest. An adult stork is depicted flying towards a chick in the nest, carrying food in its beak. On the upper left side is the Slovak coat of arms and, above it, the year of issuance ‘2023’. On the right side is the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies. Inscribed along part of the right edge is the name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’.

Reverse:
The reverse design depicts a black stork taking flight. To the right of this image are the denomination ‘5’ and currency ‘EURO’, one above the other. In the lower part of the design, next to the stork’s legs, are the stylised initials ‘MŠ’, referring to the coin’s designer Marie Šeborová. Inscribed along the lower edge and separated by a medial dot are the Slovak and scientific names for the black stork: ‘BOCIAN ČIERNY’ and ‘CICONIA NIGRA’.