Serendipity

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer. 2018 1oz Australian Silver Koala (BU). Obverse: The Ian Rank-Broadley likeness of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Reverse: Portrays a koala designed by Neil Hollis sitting on the branch of a eucalyptus tree surrounded by gum leaves. The inscription "Australian Koala", the Perth Mint's "P" mint mark, the 2018 year-date, and the .9999 purity are also featured in the design. 
When early European settlers first encountered koalas in Australia, they thought the tree-climbing animals were monkeys or bears. Even though they're still referred to by some as "koala bears", they're actually marsupials like kangaroos and wombats. Koalas have special physical characteristics that complement their tree-dwelling lifestyle.
Koalas are able to grip branches and pick eucalyptus leaves with their two opposable digits, and their tough skin and sharp claws provide traction in climbing. They even have extra thick fur on their seat so they can sit comfortably on branches for hours! Unique to Australia, these animals are a perfect theme for an iconic coin series.

Victoria, Sovereign, 1871


DESCRIPTION
Victoria (1837-1901), gold sovereign, 1871, London, Tower Hill Mint, third young filleted head left, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, date below, hint of doubling in legend both sides, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (“Victoria, by the Grace of God”), rev. struck in reverse alignment, crowned quartered shield of arms, laurel wreath surrounding, die number 14 below, emblems below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID:DEF: (“Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith”), raised hairline flaw in last A of legend to rim, edge milled, weight 7.97g (Bentley 558; Marsh 55; M.C.E. 531; S.3853B). Tiny obverse rim nick, otherwise pleasing good extremely fine. Ex-Douro Cargo, Spink Auction 118, 20-21 November 1996, lot 1377 (part). Calendar year mintage 8,767,250.
HISTORY
RMS Douro was a slender iron-hulled, screw-driven steamship of 2,824 tons - distinguishable by her graceful clipper bow and two brigantine rigged auxiliary masts - built in 1865 by Caird & Company on the River Clyde at Greenock, Scotland. She measured 326 feet long by 40 feet wide and served from 1865 to 1882 with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.
Douro initially served the routes between the United Kingdom and the West Indies. Early in her career, she was running mates with RMS Rhone until Rhone was sank in 1867 by a hurricane in the West Indies. In 1869, Douro switched to South American service on the Southampton, England-Buenos Aires, Argentina, route. As a Royal Mail Ship, she carried mail and newspapers under contract. She also often carried precious cargo, including gold and diamonds.
Douro sank in the early morning hours of April 2, 1882, off Cape Finisterre following a collision with the Spanish steamer Yrurac Bat when en route to Southampton from Buenos Aires. Her captain, Ebenezer C. Kemp, along with five other officers went down with the ship, but all 144 other crew and passengers were saved. 
The wreck was eventually salvaged in 1995 By Sverker Hallstrom and Nigel Pickford using a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) at a depth of 1,500 feet. The cargo of gold coins, mostly British sovereigns dating from the reign of Queen Victoria, was sold at auction by Spink, London, in 1996.
https://gmic.co.uk/topic/418-the-true-story-of-the-rms-douro/

This photo shows Douro, sister of RMS Rhone, at Charlotte Amalie Harbour, Saint Thomas, just before the 1867 hurricane; she did survive that force!

TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN E. C. KEMP, THE OFFICERS, ENGINEERS & CREW OF THE ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY’S SHIP “DOURO” WHO PERISHED AT SEA ON THE 1ST APRIL 1882 NOBLY SACRIFICING THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE SAVED.

Route of the RMS Douro.

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1842.

Victoria, Sovereign, 1871.

Victoria, Sovereign, 1871


DESCRIPTION
Victoria (1837-1901), gold sovereign, 1871, London, Tower Hill Mint, third young filleted head left, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, date below, hint of doubling in legend both sides, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (“Victoria, by the Grace of God”), rev. struck in reverse alignment, crowned quartered shield of arms, laurel wreath surrounding, die number 14 below, emblems below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID:DEF: (“Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith”), raised hairline flaw in last A of legend to rim, edge milled, weight 7.97g (Bentley 558; Marsh 55; M.C.E. 531; S.3853B). Tiny obverse rim nick, otherwise pleasing good extremely fine. Ex-Douro Cargo, Spink Auction 118, 20-21 November 1996, lot 1377 (part). Calendar year mintage 8,767,250.
HISTORY
RMS Douro was a slender iron-hulled, screw-driven steamship of 2,824 tons - distinguishable by her graceful clipper bow and two brigantine rigged auxiliary masts - built in 1865 by Caird & Company on the River Clyde at Greenock, Scotland. She measured 326 feet long by 40 feet wide and served from 1865 to 1882 with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.
Douro initially served the routes between the United Kingdom and the West Indies. Early in her career, she was running mates with RMS Rhone until Rhone was sank in 1867 by a hurricane in the West Indies. In 1869, Douro switched to South American service on the Southampton, England-Buenos Aires, Argentina, route. As a Royal Mail Ship, she carried mail and newspapers under contract. She also often carried precious cargo, including gold and diamonds.
Douro sank in the early morning hours of April 2, 1882, off Cape Finisterre following a collision with the Spanish steamer Yrurac Bat when en route to Southampton from Buenos Aires. Her captain, Ebenezer C. Kemp, along with five other officers went down with the ship, but all 144 other crew and passengers were saved. 
The wreck was eventually salvaged in 1995 By Sverker Hallstrom and Nigel Pickford using a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) at a depth of 1,500 feet. The cargo of gold coins, mostly British sovereigns dating from the reign of Queen Victoria, was sold at auction by Spink, London, in 1996.
https://gmic.co.uk/topic/418-the-true-story-of-the-rms-douro/

This photo shows Douro, sister of RMS Rhone, at Charlotte Amalie Harbour, Saint Thomas, just before the 1867 hurricane; she did survive that force!

TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN E. C. KEMP, THE OFFICERS, ENGINEERS & CREW OF THE ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY’S SHIP “DOURO” WHO PERISHED AT SEA ON THE 1ST APRIL 1882 NOBLY SACRIFICING THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE SAVED.

Route of the RMS Douro.

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1842.

Victoria, Sovereign, 1871.

1908 Edward VII Melbourne Mint sovereign bought from Sovereign Rarities. Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910, an immensely popular and affable monarch and a leader of society.
DESCRIPTION
Edward VII (1901-10), gold sovereign, 1908 M, Melbourne Mint, Australia, bare head right, tiny DeS. raised below truncation for engraver George William de Saulles, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, EDWARDVS VII D:G:BRITT:OMN:REX F:D:IND:IMP: (“Edward VII, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark M at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, weight 8.00g (Bentley 820; McDonald 229; Marsh 192; M.C.E. 627; S.3971). Some light bag marks, hairline scratch in obverse field, otherwise extremely fine, better than usually seen. Ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased c.1998. Calendar year mintage 3,078,500 of which 1,648 went for pyx trial.

1911 20 French Francs - Marianne Rooster bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer.



 
 

Bought from the Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint). 2019 Mona Lisa €20 Silver Coin.


 
 

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer which had a Star Trek exhibition on from the 30th June - 6th November 2016. The Perth Mint - on behalf of Tuvalu - issued a silver bullion coin with a limited mintage of 50,000 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series. The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley bust of Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Jennifer McKenna designed the reverse which depicts the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 as it appeared in Star Trek. The design includes the inscription "STAR TREK" and The Perth Mint’s traditional "P" mint mark.

2016 1oz and 2018 1/4oz Gold Somalian Elephants bought from @BleyerBullion and Atkinsons. Minted by the Bavarian State Mint, the Somalian Coat of Arms, dates and 1000 and 200 shillings face values adorn the obverses respectively. The reverses feature African bush elephants stomping through savannas and raising their trunks. The African bush elephant, aka the African savanna elephant, is the largest living terrestrial animal with bulls reaching a shoulder height of up to 3.96 m.

2016 1oz and 2018 1/4oz Gold Somalian Elephants bought from @BleyerBullion and Atkinsons. Minted by the Bavarian State Mint, the Somalian Coat of Arms, dates and 1000 and 200 shillings face values adorn the obverses respectively. The reverses feature African bush elephants stomping through savannas and raising their trunks. The African bush elephant, aka the African savanna elephant, is the largest living terrestrial animal with bulls reaching a shoulder height of up to 3.96 m.

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer which had a Star Trek exhibition on from the 30th June - 6th November 2016. The Perth Mint - on behalf of Tuvalu - issued a silver bullion coin with a limited mintage of 50,000 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series. The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley bust of Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Jennifer McKenna designed the reverse which depicts the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 as it appeared in Star Trek. The design includes the inscription "STAR TREK" and The Perth Mint’s traditional "P" mint mark.

Bought from the Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint). 2019 Mona Lisa €20 Silver Coin.


 
 

1911 George V Sydney Mint sovereign bought from Sovereign Rarities. George V of Great Britain initially sought a career in the British Navy, but the premature death of his brother, Albert, placed him on the throne in 1910. However, it was not until 1911 that George’s portrait replaced that of Edward’s on coins. He played an active role supporting the troops during World War I. George’s last reputed words were: “Bugger Bognor!” (When told by his doctor he would soon be well enough to visit Bognor Regis.)
DESCRIPTION 
George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1911 S, Sydney Mint, Australia, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark S at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, weight 8.00g (Bentley 727; McDonald 237; Marsh 271; M.C.E. 639; S.4003). Toned with light bag marks, otherwise good extremely fine. Ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 14 January 1992. Calendar year mintage 2,519,000.

1873 Victoria Melbourne Mint St. George Reverse sovereign bought from Sovereign Rarities. Princess Alexandrina Victoria was born in 1819, crowned as Queen Victoria in 1837 when her uncle, William IV, died and reigned through a period of unprecedented change until her death in 1901. Victoria ruled for 64 years, a record only recently surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II.
DESCRIPTION
Victoria (1837-1901), gold sovereign, 1873 M, Melbourne Mint, Australia, first young filleted head left, W.W. raised and buried in truncation for engraver William Wyon, mint mark M below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA D:G:BRITANNIAR:REG:F:D: (“Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith”), rev. struck with inverted die axis, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, weight 8.00g (Bentley 760; Marsh 95; M.C.E. 536; S.3857). Lightly toned, with proof-like underlying brilliance, lightly bag-marked, otherwise pleasing good extremely fine. Ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 12 November 1990. Calendar year mintage 752,000 presumably all St. George reverse of which 199 went for pyx trial.

1871 Victoria Shield Reverse sovereign bought from Baldwin’s. Princess Alexandrina Victoria was born in 1819, crowned as Queen Victoria in 1837 when her uncle, William IV, died and reigned through a period of unprecedented change until her death in 1901. Victoria ruled for 64 years, a record only recently surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II. RMS Douro was a British passenger liner that served from 1865 to 1882 with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. She was sunk in a collision in 1882.
DESCRIPTION
Victoria (1837-1901), gold sovereign, 1871, London, Tower Hill Mint, third young filleted head left, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, date below, hint of doubling in legend both sides, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (“Victoria, by the Grace of God”), rev. struck with inverted die axis, engraved by Jean Baptiste Merlen, crowned quartered shield of arms, laurel wreath surrounding, die number 14 below, emblems below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID:DEF: (“Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith”), raised hairline flaw in last A of legend to rim, edge milled, weight 7.97g (Bentley 558; Marsh 55; M.C.E. 531; S.3853B). Tiny obverse rim nick, otherwise pleasing good extremely fine. Ex Douro Cargo, Spink Auction 118, 20-21 November 1996, lot 1377 (part). Calendar year mintage 8,767,250.


 

 
 

1914 and 1918 George V sovereigns bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer and the Royal Mint. Sovereigns issued during the First World War are significant to collectors and none more so than the 1914 and 1918 issues which are frequently paired together in collections to mark the beginning and end of the Great War. T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, was a British scholar, writer and soldier who mobilised the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War and wrote about his wartime exploits in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926). Gold sovereigns were used by Lawrence to sway Arab tribes to join the Allied fight and as a bounty for Arabs who returned any downed Allied airmen to safety.
DESCRIPTIONS
George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1914, London Mint, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (Marsh 216; M.C.E. 642; S.3996). Extremely fine. Calendar year mintage 11,501,117.
George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1914 M, Melbourne Mint, Australia, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark M at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (Marsh 232; M.C.E. 642; S.3999). Almost extremely fine. Calendar year mintage 2,012,029.
George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1918 I, Bombay Mint, India, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark I at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (Marsh 228; S.3998). Obverse good very fine,  reverse almost extremely fine. Calendar year mintage 1,294,372.

I collect gold for both investment and numismatic reasons. I love to regale forum members with the history of the royal characters on my sovereigns. The coins wouldn’t be as interesting if they were just blank gold discs. My first introduction to gold first came through the constant James Bond Goldfinger repeats on TV which gave me the impression that you must be some kind of villainous zillionaire to own any kind of gold. The glamour of gold caught my attention all the same and I ordered a sovereign from the Royal Mint as well as a limited edition Lord of the Rings gold ring with Elvish inscription. Unfortunately, I sold off both items to some unscrupulous pawnbrokers at a big loss. However, those first gold purchases were enough to whet my appetite for more of the yellow metal.

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer. My 2018 Chinese Panda 🐼 stack consists of the 30 and 8 gram Gold Pandas 🐼 along with a full stack of fifteen 30 gram Silver Pandas 🐼. The obverse of each Panda 🐼 depicts the Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvests in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing encircled with the Chinese characters “中华人民共和国” (People’s Republic of China) closed off by the year of issue, 2018. The reverse features a large portrait of the giant panda 🐼 eating a bamboo shoot.

This is my entire gold and silver stack. The candy cane is a complimentary gift from Chards when I ordered some silver Koalas. I don’t want to spoil the fun by revealing all my coin collection. Anyone keeping up with my other posts will get a good idea what the air-tite tubes contain when I showcase the actual coins themselves at various times. This took me a year and a half to stack.

A really fascinating thread. I own a 1911 20 Francs Marianne Rooster restrike which I’ve adopted as my “lucky coin”. I love the exceptionally beautiful laureate bust of Marianne on the obverse of the coin. However, I’ve stopped short of stacking the franc because of the low .900 gold purity but still regard them as highly collectible coins.

 
 

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer. 2018 1oz Australian Silver Koala (BU). Obverse: The Ian Rank-Broadley likeness of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Reverse: Portrays a koala designed by Neil Hollis sitting on the branch of a eucalyptus tree surrounded by gum leaves. The inscription "Australian Koala", the Perth Mint's "P" mint mark, the 2018 year-date, and the .9999 purity are also featured in the design. 
When early European settlers first encountered koalas in Australia, they thought the tree-climbing animals were monkeys or bears. Even though they're still referred to by some as "koala bears", they're actually marsupials like kangaroos and wombats. Koalas have special physical characteristics that complement their tree-dwelling lifestyle.
Koalas are able to grip branches and pick eucalyptus leaves with their two opposable digits, and their tough skin and sharp claws provide traction in climbing. They even have extra thick fur on their seat so they can sit comfortably on branches for hours! Unique to Australia, these animals are a perfect theme for an iconic coin series.

Victoria, Sovereign, 1871


DESCRIPTION
Victoria (1837-1901), gold sovereign, 1871, London, Tower Hill Mint, third young filleted head left, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, date below, hint of doubling in legend both sides, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (“Victoria, by the Grace of God”), rev. struck in reverse alignment, crowned quartered shield of arms, laurel wreath surrounding, die number 14 below, emblems below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID:DEF: (“Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith”), raised hairline flaw in last A of legend to rim, edge milled, weight 7.97g (Bentley 558; Marsh 55; M.C.E. 531; S.3853B). Tiny obverse rim nick, otherwise pleasing good extremely fine. Ex-Douro Cargo, Spink Auction 118, 20-21 November 1996, lot 1377 (part). Calendar year mintage 8,767,250.
HISTORY
RMS Douro was a slender iron-hulled, screw-driven steamship of 2,824 tons - distinguishable by her graceful clipper bow and two brigantine rigged auxiliary masts - built in 1865 by Caird & Company on the River Clyde at Greenock, Scotland. She measured 326 feet long by 40 feet wide and served from 1865 to 1882 with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.
Douro initially served the routes between the United Kingdom and the West Indies. Early in her career, she was running mates with RMS Rhone until Rhone was sank in 1867 by a hurricane in the West Indies. In 1869, Douro switched to South American service on the Southampton, England-Buenos Aires, Argentina, route. As a Royal Mail Ship, she carried mail and newspapers under contract. She also often carried precious cargo, including gold and diamonds.
Douro sank in the early morning hours of April 2, 1882, off Cape Finisterre following a collision with the Spanish steamer Yrurac Bat when en route to Southampton from Buenos Aires. Her captain, Ebenezer C. Kemp, along with five other officers went down with the ship, but all 144 other crew and passengers were saved. 
The wreck was eventually salvaged in 1995 By Sverker Hallstrom and Nigel Pickford using a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) at a depth of 1,500 feet. The cargo of gold coins, mostly British sovereigns dating from the reign of Queen Victoria, was sold at auction by Spink, London, in 1996.
https://gmic.co.uk/topic/418-the-true-story-of-the-rms-douro/

This photo shows Douro, sister of RMS Rhone, at Charlotte Amalie Harbour, Saint Thomas, just before the 1867 hurricane; she did survive that force!

TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN E. C. KEMP, THE OFFICERS, ENGINEERS & CREW OF THE ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY’S SHIP “DOURO” WHO PERISHED AT SEA ON THE 1ST APRIL 1882 NOBLY SACRIFICING THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE SAVED.

Route of the RMS Douro.

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1842.

Victoria, Sovereign, 1871.

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer. My 2018 Chinese Panda 🐼 stack consists of the 30 and 8 gram Gold Pandas 🐼 along with a full stack of fifteen 30 gram Silver Pandas 🐼. The obverse of each Panda 🐼 depicts the Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvests in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing encircled with the Chinese characters “中华人民共和国” (People’s Republic of China) closed off by the year of issue, 2018. The reverse features a large portrait of the giant panda 🐼 eating a bamboo shoot.

2016 1oz and 2018 1/4oz Gold Somalian Elephants bought from @BleyerBullion and Atkinsons. Minted by the Bavarian State Mint, the Somalian Coat of Arms, dates and 1000 and 200 shillings face values adorn the obverses respectively. The reverses feature African bush elephants stomping through savannas and raising their trunks. The African bush elephant, aka the African savanna elephant, is the largest living terrestrial animal with bulls reaching a shoulder height of up to 3.96 m.

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer which had a Star Trek exhibition on from the 30th June - 6th November 2016. The Perth Mint - on behalf of Tuvalu - issued a silver bullion coin with a limited mintage of 50,000 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series. The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley bust of Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Jennifer McKenna designed the reverse which depicts the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 as it appeared in Star Trek. The design includes the inscription "STAR TREK" and The Perth Mint’s traditional "P" mint mark.

Bought from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer. My 2018 Chinese Panda 🐼 stack consists of the 30 and 8 gram Gold Pandas 🐼 along with a full stack of fifteen 30 gram Silver Pandas 🐼. The obverse of each Panda 🐼 depicts the Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvests in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing encircled with the Chinese characters “中华人民共和国” (People’s Republic of China) closed off by the year of issue, 2018. The reverse features a large portrait of the giant panda 🐼 eating a bamboo shoot.