2007 £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Gold Coin

The most recent issue from the British Royal Mint is a striking 2007 £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Standard Gold Coin. This is one of the most highly anticipated annual issues from the Royal Mint and there is a low worldwide issue limit of just 1,000 coins available

Each coin measures an impressive 36.02 millimeters in diameter and weighs a hefty 39.94 g – the equivalent in gold content to five individual gold sovereigns.

Benedetto Pistrucci’s dramatic portrayal of St George and the dragon appears on the reverse, while the obverse features the traditional portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS. The exceptional combination of beauty, rarity and high gold content means the £5 Brilliant Uncirculated gold coin will be highly sought after by numismatics worldwide.

According to the Royal Mint, "In the 19th century, coinage reform re-introduced the gold sovereign and also saw the origin of what was destined to become one of the most enduring of all numismatic designs – the acclaimed rendering of St George and the dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci – and a subject that has inspired and fascinated artists and sculptors for centuries."

"While the new sovereign made its debut in 1817, it was 1820 before the first £5 coin was struck. It was a magnificent coin suitable more as a presentation piece rather than for general circulation and it was not until 1887 that the £5 coins were at last issued to the public. The enormous demand was such that the Chancellor of the Exchequer felt obliged to assure the House of Commons that the Mint would eventually satisfy every request and, in the event, more than 53,000 pieces were struck."

"With very few exceptions, Pistrucci’s St George has dominated the sovereign family ever since and has been beautifully restored to how it was seen almost 200 years ago especially for this year’s coin. Using a combination of traditional hand-engraving skills and state-of-the-art technology, the result is indeed remarkable, bearing witness to the special care that has been taken over one of the greatest coin designs in world history."

Each gold coin is housed in a stylish green presentation case complete with an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity, signed by the Chief Executive of the Royal Mint and is priced at £745.00.

The 2007 £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Gold Coin from the British Royal Mint will make a fascinating and valuable addition to any coin collection.

2007 14-Karat Gold Coin—140th Anniversary of the Dominion of Canada

The Canadian Royal, Mint recently issued the 2007 14 karat gold coin to celebrate the anniversary of the Dominion of Canada.

This is an important occasion and an important coin for collectors. There are only 500 of these coins issued.

According to the Canadian Royal Mint, i the middle of the 19th century, the industries that had long defined Canada were slowly giving way to a new economy of manufactured goods. This gradual move towards industrialization heightened the need for a continental infrastructure-communications and an effective means to transport people and goods to wider markets.

On March 29, 1867, the "...Union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the Government thereof;..." signed the British North America Act to create the Dominion of Canada and to establish its constitution. One hundred and forty years later, this Act remains a cornerstone of the celebrated nation the world knows today.

This striking gold coin features Queen Victoria’s coat of arms as it appeared in the British North America Act passed by British Parliament on March 29, 1867, as well as an excerpt taken from that document. In addition, beneath the words are the original shields of the four founding provinces Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The entire design was expertly created by Bonnie Ross.

On the reverse there is an excerpt from the British North America Act with Queen Victoria’s Coat of Arms above and the shields of the four founding provinces below (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick).

On the obverse an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

The coin specifications are shown below:

Face Value: 100 dollars
Mintage: 5,000
Composition: 58.33% gold, 41.67% silver
Weight (g): 12
Diameter (mm): 27
Edge: Reeded
Finish: Proof
Certificate: Serialized
Artist: Bonnie Ross

The 2007 14-Karat Gold Coin—140^th Anniversary of the Dominion of Canada will be a very important addition to any coin enthusiasts collection.

The Vittorio Emanuele II 20 lira gold coin

The Vittorio Emanuele II 20 lira gold coin (picture from usagold.com) is a rare coin with just a few thousand being produced.

Victor Emmanuel II, King of Italy, better known as Vittorio Emanuele II, lived from March 14, 1820 to January 9, 1878 and was the King of Piedmont, Savoy, and Sardinia from 1849 to 1861. On February 18, 1861, he assumed the title King of Italy to become the first king of a united Italy, a title he held until his death in seventeen years later.

He was born in Turin, the eldest son of Charles Albert, King of Sardinia, and Mary Therese of Hapsburg-Lorraine. He lived a few years of his youth at Florence with his father. Victor Emmanuel showed an early interest for politics, the military, as well as a certain aptitude towards sports.

Upon the creation of the Kingdom of Italy under Vittorio Emanuele II, a unified lira was established, at 4.5 grams of silver or 290.322 milligrams of gold. This was a direct continuation of the Sardinian lira.

There is an interesting old world European history which these types of coins represent and many people love to collect them, not just for the antique or rarity value but also for the historical interest.

The Vittorio Emanuele II 20 lira gold coin is a rarity these day as was its successor coin the Umberto I 20 lira simply because there are so few. Many were hoarded at the time and during the unification of Italy and became lost. From time to time a collection comes to light and there is usually a flurry of interest and buying until that hoard is split up and sold.

USAGold manages to acquire some from time to time for those interested. As they point out on their web site, "Scarce pre-1933 gold coins, like the Vittorio Emanuele II 20 lira, offer a largely unplumbed area of the gold market for appreciation potential. They offer two avenues for potential profit -- one should the price of gold rise, and another should the premium increase due to the trade off between scarcity and demand."

Seeking out and acquiring a Vittorio Emanuele II 20 lira gold coin is one of the truly great pleasures of rare coin collecting!

1oz Gold Proof Locket Coin with Sapphires

The Perth Mint has just introduced the unique 1oz Gold Proof Locket Coin with Sapphires

This stunning coin is the first of a beautiful series of “Treasures of Australia” locket coins celebrating Australia’s abundance of natural riches. This first release contains stunning blue sapphires, which are found in major accumulations in Queensland and New South Wales.

The 2007-dated coin is struck from 1oz of 99.99% pure gold in proof quality and the reverse design portrays an abstract interpretation of Australia’s stark and beautiful landscape.

The design surrounds a transparent half-circle locket containing approximately 1-carat of sapphires. Linked through time with many special properties, including wisdom, loyalty and healing, sapphires are also the birthstone of people born in September.

As with all coins issued by the Perth Mint, this coin is issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965. The coin bears the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse and is house in a presentation case with a jarrah timber lid featuring a circular viewing window. The case comes in a stylized box shipper.

Each coin is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. The Perth Mint will release no more than 1,000 of these gold proof locket coins.
Scheduled for release between 2007 and 2011, the “Treasures of Australia” celebrates five glittering prizes found in Australia: Sapphires, Opals, Diamonds, Gold, and Pearls.

Specifications:

• Proof Quality 99.99% Pure Gold
• Striking Reverse Design
• Contains 1-Carat of Sapphires
• Australian Legal Tender
• Presentation Packaging
• Limited Mintage
• Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
• Cost is AUD $1,595.00

In addition, for a limited time only, collectors who purchase this Treasures of Australia gold proof locket coin will automatically receive a pure silver version absolutely free! This offer will end 31 October 2007 or when the full mintage of just 1,000 gold proof locket coins has been taken up. Silver proof coins will be available individually for $99 according to the Mint.

The 1oz Gold Proof Locket Coin with Sapphires will make an excellent addition to any coin collection.

Rugby World Cup 2007 €20 Gold Proof Coin

The British Royal Mint has issued the Rugby World Cup 2007 €20 Gold Proof Coin.

The Rugby World Cup 2007 will be the sixth Rugby World Cup for the Quadrennial World Championship. It will be hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October 2007 with forty-two matches spread between ten French cities, four matches in Cardiff and two matches in Edinburgh.

This magnificent half an ounce, €20 gold Proof coin is a Rugby World Cup 2007 Official Licensed Product issued by La Monnaie de Paris and is an ideal gift for anyone interested in or associated with the Rugby.

Only 500 of these .920 gold proof coins will be produced and each will be issued with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by the Mint Master of La Monnaie de Paris. Of these, only 140 gold Proof coins are available.

Issued by La Monnaie de Paris, this beautiful coin features a reverse design depicting two rugby players in action, while the obverse portrays rugby posts along with the International Rugby Board official logo (see below).

Cost of each coin complete with presentation case and numbered certificate of authenticity is £499.00

The Rugby World Cup 2007 €20 Gold Proof Coin will make a valuable edition not only to coin collectors but rugby enthusiasts everywhere.


Rugby World Cup 2007 Official Licensed Product
Product under license by La Monnaie de Paris
TM © Rugby World Cup Limited. 1986-2007.
All rights reserved