Beautiful World Coins

The 2010 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Silver Proof Dollar Coin

The United States Mint commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America with this 2010 silver proof coin featuring a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout and a female Venturer.

The Boy Scouts of America celebrated its centennial anniversary on February 8, 2010. It's the largest youth organization in the United States with 2.8 million youth members and 1.1 million adult leaders in the programs of Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting and Venturing. Founded in 1910, the organization was granted a federal charter in 1916 by an Act of Congress signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." Every day across our Nation, Scouts and their leaders pledge to live up to the promise in the Scout Oath—"On my honor I will do my best, To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight"—and the Scout Law, according to which a Scout is "Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent."

Annually, scouts and their leaders volunteer over 35 million hours of service to their communities through more than 75,000 service projects, meeting a wide range of needs in the areas of food, shelter, education and environmental conservation. Surcharges from this commemorative coin program are authorized to be paid to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, which will make funds available to local councils in the form of grants for the extension of scouting in hard-to-serve areas.

The obverse of this coin features a Cub Scout, with a Boy Scout and female Venturer in the background saluting. It represents the Boy Scouts of America of today, as the organization has recognized the need to include other programs for younger boys (cub scouts) and older boys and girls (venturers), reflecting the great diversity of our nation. Inscriptions are CONTINUING THE JOURNEY, 1910, 2010, IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY. The reverse design depicts the Boy Scouts of America's universal emblem. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, BE PREPARED, E PLURIBUS UNUM and ONE DOLLAR.

Mint: Philadelphia

Year: 2010

Face value: 1 Dollar

Finish: Proof

Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

Size: 38.1 mm

Weight: 26.73 grams

Mintage: 350,000 (across all product options)

The Pheidippidis' Marathon Run 2,500th Anniversary 2010 Silver Proof High-Relief Coin

Issued by the Perth Mint as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu, the Pheidippidis' Marathon Run 2,500th Anniversary Silver Proof High-Relief Coin features Pheidippidis’ arrival in Athens at the end of his famous run, where legend suggests he proclaimed victory with the word “nenikhkamen” (we have won) before expiring.

According to tradition, this year marks the 2,500th anniversary of Pheidippidis’ 25-mile run to Athens with news of the Greek army’s historic triumph at the Battle of Marathon in 490BC. His remarkable long-distance achievement inspired the introduction of Olympic marathon running in 1896, and has also influenced countless ordinary joggers to attempt the grueling 26.22 miles at one of today’s many high-profile marathon events.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2010

Face value: $1

Finish: Proof with High-Relief Reverse & Obverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 32.6 mm

Weight: 31.135 grams

Mintage: 5,000

The 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing 2009 50 Cents Coin from Australia

The Royal Australian Mint celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing with the introduction of this commemorative 2009 dodecagonal 50 cent coin featuring the lunar module in space on its way to Tranquility base on the Moon. The incorporation of pad printing techniques to represent the vast expanse of the night sky is merged with an optically intriguing design which illustrates the foreground/ background relationship that the Moon and the Earth share.

Apollo 11 was the first manned missionto land on the Moon. On July 21, 1969, the first human being set foot on another celestial body, arguably the single greatest accomplishment and technical achievent of all time. This feat of ingenuity was a unifying event of global proportions, made possible by the cooperation of people from many countries, including Australia.

Mint: Canberra

Year: 2009

Face value: 50 Cents

Finish: Uncirculated

Composition: Cupro/Nickel

Size: 31.51 mm

Weight: 15.55 grams

Mintage: N/A

Four 2009 Silver and Gold Coins Celebrating Poland's Road to Freedom

The National Bank of Poland just issued four coins commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the June 4th, 1989 elections.

The elections of June 4th, 1989, were the first parliamentary elections in the Polish People’s Republic neither held under compulsion nor falsified. As a result, a new parliamentary and governmental system was established and the third Republic of Poland came into existence.

The 200-Zloty gold coin shows a silhouette of a person raising a hand and making the “V for victory” sign. In the background, a stylized image of the Sejm hall and people inside. The 25-Zloty gold coin shows a stylized inscription, SOLIDARNOŚC (Solidarity), replicating the logo of the Independent and Self-governing Solidarity Trade Union. The 10-Zloty silver coin shows a stylized image of Pope John Paul II holding a crosier in front of a crowd. Above the crowd, an inscription, SOLIDARNOŚĆ, in red and grey colors. The 2-Zloty coin shows a fragment of the conference hall of the Round Table talks with people inside. In the centre, a stylized image of a calendar page showing June 4th, 1989.

Mint: Warsaw

Year: 2009

Face value: 200, 25, 10 and 2 zlotych

Finish: Proof (200Zt, 25Z, and 10Zt), and Standard (2Zt)

Composition: 90% Gold (200Zt and 25Zt), 92.5% Silver (10Zt), and 89% Copper, 5% Zinc, 5% Aluminum, 1% Nickel (2Zt)

Size: 27 mm (200Zt and 2Zt), 12 mm (25Zt), and 32 mm (10Zt)

Weight: 15.5 grams (200Zt), 1 grams (25Zt), 14.14 grams (10Zt), and 8.15 grams (2Zt)

Mintage: 10,000 (200Zt), 40,000 (25Zt), 100,000 (10Zt), and 1,300,000 (2Zt)

The Cannae and Thermopylae Famous Battles silver proof coins from Australia

Issued by the Perth Mint as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu, the Cannae 2009 silver proof coin commemorates Hannibal’s crushing defeat of the Roman legions in 216BC. Against a massive force comprising 80,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry, his outnumbered Carthaginian army won a remarkable victory that has been hailed as the one of greatest tactical achievements in military history. The coin’s reverse portrays a Carthaginian warrior and one of Hannibal’s 30 war elephants, which famously crossed the Alps with his army. The design, which includes The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark, also portrays a colored depiction of the furious encounter. This is the second coin in this very popular series.

The first coin in this series, the battle of Thermopylae, already sold out at the Mint, marks the Spartans’ remarkable stand at Thermopylae in 480BC against a powerful Persian invasion force. Although defeated, their valiant action inspired the allied Greek city-states to ultimate victory in ensuing battles. The Thermopylae coin depicts a Spartan warrior wearing a metal cuirass (breastplate), with a doru (spear), a protective Corinthian helmet, and a xiphos (sword), and also portrays a colored image of Spartan warriors in classic phalanx formation.

Focusing on five notable engagements that changed the course of history, The Perth Mint’s Famous Battles series portrays battlefield scenes spanning more than two millennia. After Thermopylae and Cannae, the next three coins in the series will commemorate the battles of Hastings – 1066, Balaclava – 1854, and Gettysburg – 1863.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2009

Face value: $1

Finish: Proof with colored reverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 40.6 mm

Weight: 31.135 grams

Mintage: 5,000

This 2009 Silver Proof Coin Commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Perth Mint is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a critical event in the revolutionary wave that swept across Central and Eastern Europe ending in the overthrow of Soviet-style communist states within the space of a few months. Issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu and struck by The Perth Mint, this silver proof dollar coin shows a stylized representation of the number 20 separating a colored image of the sky featuring a peace dove, and a close-up interpretation of the Berlin Wall as well as a depiction of Germany’s symbolic Brandenburg Gate.

Forty-three kilometers long, the Berlin Wall was built to prevent defectors escaping to the free world via West Berlin. On November 9, 1989, following mounting anti-communist demonstrations, the East German government announced that restrictions on travel to the West were to be lifted. Border guards had no choice but to open the barriers during the ensuing rush towards the Berlin Wall, letting thousands pass through for the first time in nearly three decades.

As the gates of the Berlin Wall were flung open, West Germans joined in wild celebrations, their euphoria marking the end of the Cold War amid renewed hope for the reunification of their country.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2009

Face value: $1

Finish: Proof with colored reverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 40.6 mm

Weight: 31.135 grams

Mintage: 5,000

Celebrate The Montreal Canadiens® 100-Years Anniversary With This Special Edition Silver Proof Dollar Coin

The Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens® hockey team with this 2009 special edition silver proof dollar coin featuring the Canadiens centennial official logo. The selective gold-plating over the logo and rim adds a rich contrast to this coin's proof silver finish.

On December 4, 1909, two days after the founding of the National Hockey Association and eight years prior to the formation of the NHL, the hockey world sees the birth of the Montreal Canadiens at Montreal’s Windsor Hotel thanks to businessman J. Ambrose O’Brien. The Montreal Canadiens® are the oldest and most successful franchise in professional hockey history. Fifty-four members of Hockey Hall of Fame, countless individual trophy winners, 15 retired jerseys, and of course, an NHL-record 24 Stanley Cup Championships – including an unprecedented five consecutive titles from 1956-1960 and an amazing 10 in 15 seasons from 1964-65 to 1978-79.

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2009

Face value: 1 Dollar

Finish: Proof with gold accents

Composition: 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper

Size: 36.07 mm

Weight: 25.175 grams

Mintage: 15,000

The Colorful Barbie™ 50th Anniversary Silver Proof Coin

The Perth Mint is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Barbie™, one of the hottest selling toys and collectibles in the world, with the release of a stunning commemorative 1 oz silver proof coin for her legions of international fans. Issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu, this 2009 silver proof coin reflects the timeless appeal of Barbie™ and depicts classic images of Barbie™ on a background featuring colored highlights in pink. The design also incorporates the Barbie™ 50th anniversary logo and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

Manufactured by Mattel, Inc. and launched at the 1959 New York Toy Fair, Barbie™ quickly became a best friend and confidante of little girls all over the world. Her popularity soared with each new generation.

Mint: Perth

Year: 2009

Face value: $1

Finish: Proof with colored reverse

Composition: 99.9% silver

Size: 40.6 mm

Weight: 31.135 grams

Mintage: 20,000

This Silver and Glass Coin Celebrates 400 Years of Polish Settlement in North America

The National Bank of Poland just issued a unique 2008 silver 10 zlotych coin with a glass core commemorating the 400 years of Polish settlement in North America. The glass core shows a stylized image of a man blowing glassware. The ring shows fragments of a stylized map of Virginia, ships, settlers, Natives, and men smelting glass.

In 1606, king James I Stuart chartered the Virginia Company of London with the right to colonize and exploit the resources of the southern part of North America. On this basis, the English started the establishment of their own colonies in the New World. In December 1606, a hundred British settlers ventured across the Atlantic. Jamestown, the first permanent outpost, was established about 40 miles from the mouth of the James river entering the Chesapeake Bay, on the land inhabited then by the Powhatan confederation of the Algonquian tribes. The next party landed in Jamestown in 1608, with eight people from Prussia and Poland, most probably coopers, making barrels to store food, glass-makers, and tar makers, who could produce charcoal, coal and wood tar a well as potash used for the construction and operation of sailing ships. Those first anonymous Polish settlers pioneered the emigration from the territory of Poland to North America, particularly large in the second half of the 19th century.

Mint: Warsaw

Year: 2008

Face value: 10 zlotych

Finish: Standard

Composition: 92.5% silver, with glass core

Size: 32 mm

Weight: 14.14 grams

Mintage: 126,000

The 450th Anniversary of Postal Service in Poland 2008 Silver Proof Coin

The National Bank of Poland just issued a beautiful 2008 silver proof 10 zlotych coin with holographic image commemorating the 450th Anniversary of postal service in Poland. The hologram on the obverse shows a stylized image of a mounted post rider on horse playing the trumpet. The reverse shows a stylized image of a 16th century post courier.

On October 18th, 1558, king Sigismundus II Augustus (Zygmunt August) issued an official legal act concerning Polish postal service. This day is recognized as the beginning of the post in Poland. The first regular postal service ran from Cracow via Vienna and Graz to Venice; a letter took 9 days to reach the addressee. A few years later, postal services were established between Cracow and Vilnius.

Mint: Warsaw

Year: 2008

Face value: 10 zlotych

Finish: Proof with hologram

Composition: 92.5% silver

Size: 32 mm

Weight: 14.14 grams

Mintage: 135,000