Great Warriors Silver Coin Series
Share this page:
Throughout history, next to art, music, and architecture, war has become a common feature, if not one of the most common happenstances that help to shape the history of a people or a nation. That being the case, each epoch in history would always have a type of warrior who exemplified not only their cultural ideologies, philosophies, and virtues, but who represented the height of physical and combative prowess of the time. History buffs will be able to name more than a few of those iconic warriors that have helped shape history and define a culture, and it is in this vein that the Perth Mint of Australia specially designed a series of coins that showcase exactly that – the stereotypical warrior of a specific age and nation that has become a symbol of an era, a race, and a creed. Aptly named the ‘Great Warriors’ series, it features four distinct silver bullion coins made from 99.9% fine pure silver and intricately tooled and selectively coloured, each one-ounce coin depicts one great warrior from a specific nation / era in both East and West.
As with all standard Australian coinages, it features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse side of the coin (this one done by Raphael Maklouf, instead of the usual one by Ian Rank-Broadley) along with the legends ‘ELIZABETH II TUVALU’ (making the coin legal tender in that specific area and nowhere else) along with the date of mintage, the face value, and weight and fineness of the silver. The whole of the series itself was initiated and finished at the same year (2010), and no subsequent new additions have been made so far.
The first coin of the series began with the depiction of a Roman Legionary in full-colour set against a background of mirror-finish silver depicting an iconic setting of Roman Ionic columns, with some minute selective gold-plating on the Legionary’s accessories.[1] A small insert of box is inscribed with the warrior’s type, in its own stylized, period-accurate font.
The second coin of the series featured a very unlikely, but equally iconic warrior – the Viking. Depicted in a typical fighting-stance while wielding two axes, he is set against a background of highly ornate Celtic knotwork and in mirror-finish silver, along with an insert of its type / name in its own stylized period majuscule font.[2]
The third coin in the series depicts one of the most iconic legendary warriors of all time – the Knight. Depicting a knight ready to face an enemy, in full armour bearing two swords, a mace, and clad in surcoat of its heraldic colours, it one of the most detailed coins of the series.[3] The knight is set against a background of heraldic symbols, this one depicting a coat of arms with two rampant griffins in frosted and mirrored finish. A with all the other coins in the series, a period-accurate stylized font of the warrior’s type / name is also inscribed on the obverse.
The last coin of the series depicts the most iconic of all ancient warriors – the Japanese Samurai. Resplendent in full-samurai regalia, consisting of the mail / breastplate (kikoku), horned helm and mask (kabuto), and of course the iconic Japanese sword (katana), in full colour depicting the nuances of the colourations on the samurai’s armour, it is undeniably the most detailed of the four warrior coins.[4] The samurai is set against a background of traditional Japanese art depicting a cherry blossom tree (sakura) a full moon or sun, and a stylized dragon in mirror and frosted finish to add further contrast. As with all the others, a stylized inscription of the warrior’s name in an Asiatic-inspired font is also included in the design.
All coins from the Great Warriors series are limited to only 5, 000 coins per warrior type, and come with a special display box that allows collectors to showcase these one of a kind coins. Perfect additions to any collection or investment hoard, they also make for wonderful gifts for history buffs and historical re-enactors, as well as numismatists both old and young alike.
Great Warriors Silver Coin Series - References:
[1] http://www.perthmint.com.au/catalogue/2010-roman-legionary-1oz-silver-proof-coin.aspx
[2] http://www.perthmint.com.au/catalogue/great-warrior-series-2010-viking-1oz-silver-proof-coin.aspx
[3] http://www.perthmint.com.au/catalogue/great-warriors-series-2010-knight-1oz-silver-proof-coin.aspx
[4] http://www.perthmint.com.au/catalogue/great-warriors-series-2010-samurai-1oz-silver-proof-coin.aspx
Disclaimer - None of the contents of www.coinandbullionpages.com ("this website") are recommendations to buy or sell. While every care was taken in the preparation of this website and its contents, no guarantee is made as to the suitability of this website for any purpose whatsoever, nor of the accuracy, timeliness or usefulness of its information. This website is provided for general information and entertainment purposes only and the information provided on this web site should not be seen as, nor as a substitute for, legal, business or investment advice. The website's owner specifically disclaims any and all liability arising in conjunction with the use of the materials / information herein.
