In Stock and Ready For Immediate Shipment!
SOLD OUT at the Perth Mint!
MINTAGE JUST 388! Multiple technologies, including ultra high relief, antique finish and
electric metallic colors make this unique universe a must-have! Did we
mention that only 388 have been struck?
Once in a blue moon, a coin
like this comes along—incredibly gorgeous and truly rare,
with a mintage of just 388! It's in your orbit and within
your grasp! Don't space out and let this beauty reach escape velocity,
make this stunner
yours today!
Take one look at this knockout eyeful, then snatch it up! The Perth
Mint gets that we live in a crazy universe—and this far out
coin is as crazy as it gets! Outer space ain't empty space—we
don't need a telescope to make out
Planet Earth (naturally)
Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune
The Milky Way (our galaxy)
Icy Comet
Black Hole
Scattered Stars
Meteor Shower
Nebulae (clouds of interstellar dust and gas)
We don't want to give away all the secrets of the universe, but it
takes at least 5 distinct technologies to make this universe
u-nique!
Ultra high relief
Vivid full color with metallic hues
Antique finish to simulate deep space
Double-thick piedfort format, struck on a
Rimless medallic planchet
Whew!
The 5 troy ounce pure silver piedfort vividly portrays the starry sky
and planets. Struck by the Perth Mint
in ultra high medallic relief, this numismatic gem is presented in
elaborate packaging with individually
numbered certificate. A must-have for outer space collectors and savvy
investors alike, the tiny mintage of just 388 anticipates a quick
sell-out at the Mint, ensures rarity
now and demand going forward.
"It's The Universe, Jim,
But Not As We Know It."
Some people think of outer space as nothing but a big empty vacuum, but
that couldn't be further from the truth. There's always some heavenly
body colliding with some other heavenly body (just ask the dinosaurs,
or Warren Beatty). People have been studying the night sky for
millennia, since long before history was recorded. The daily, monthly
and yearly passages of the Sun and Moon dominated early societies and
created their calendars.
Five planets are visible to the naked eye, and consequently were known
in prehistory: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Early peoples
even identified and named comets in our Solar System, as well as more
distant stars and constellations, including our own galaxy, the Milky
Way.
The invention of the telescope in the early 17th century was a great
leap forward in advancing our understanding of Earth's place in the
vast cosmos With the telescope, Uranus, Neptune and eventually even
little Pluto could be seen. With the latest space-based telescopes, we
have been able to see much further and more clearly than ever before,
discovering huge numbers of galaxies, and even exo-planets, that is,
planets orbiting stars outside our own solar system. As we write this
in 2024, more than 5,600 exoplanets have been discovered! Of course,
other fascinating cosmic objects, including nebulae, giant clouds of
dust and gas in which new stars are born, turning up nearly daily. It's
a crazy universe indeed, and not at all empty space!
What is a Piedfort?
Popular
with collectors for more than a century, and always hard to
find, piedforts are highly sought after. We get asked all the time,
"What is a piedfort?" There are two different, but related, stories of
the origin of the word "piedfort". The first says that it literally
means "strong foot" in French (from
pied, foot and
fort,
strong). The second says this word was appropriated by the mint
centuries ago to mean "heavy measure" or "heavy weight". In both cases,
the sense of serious heft to the coin is obvious.
Often the word "piedfort" is translated as "double-thick", but this is
neither a literal translation nor a precisely accurate definition.
Numismatically speaking, any coin that is 50% or more thicker than a
standard version qualifies as a piedfort, although some
piedforts are, indeed, twice as thick as normal.
Finally, the age-old question, "How is the word pronounced?" Coming
from French, it is not pronounced as it is spelled; that is, don't say,
"pide - fort". Rather, "pee - ay - four" (three syllables) is a good
approximation.
Obverse
The gorgeous design portrays magnificently hued starry skies
and planets. Struck by the Perth Mint
in ultra high medallic relief, we can make out Earth, other planets, a
comet, meteors, nebulae, a galaxy, and a black hole. There are no
legends on the
obverse,
to further enhance the beauty of the vignette.
Reverse
His Majesty, King Charles III, in profile effigy facing left. This
portrait was executed by the engraver Jody Clark. The legend KING
CHARLES
III, the date of issue, and denomination also appear. The
legend 5 OZ 9999 AG
guarantees
the weight and purity.
Packaging
The coin is housed inside a handsome black leatherette,
clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and satin,
and protected by a full-color outer box. An individually-numbered
certificate of authenticity is included.
Specifications
Country |
Tuvalu |
Mint |
Perth Mint of Australia |
Year
of Issue |
2024 |
|
|
Face
Value |
Five
Dollars |
Weight |
155.533
g |
Diameter |
55.90
mm |
Gauge
(Thickness) |
7.50 mm |
Mintage Limit |
388 |
|
|
Finish |
Antiqued
with Color and Ultra High Relief |
Composition |
.9999
Fine (Pure) Silver |
Edge |
Plain |
|
|
Artist |
Sean Rogers (obverse)
Jody Clark (reverse) |
Certificate |
Individually Numbered |
The Island Nation of
Tuvalu
Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a
Polynesian
island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and
Australia. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It is
comprised of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of
11,992 makes it the third-least populated independent country in the
world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. It is
also the second-smallest member by population of the United Nations. In
terms of physical land size, at just 10 square miles Tuvalu is the
fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican
City, Monaco and Nauru.
The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people, who arrived
about 3000 years go. The islands came under Great Britain's sphere of
influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were
administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and
as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In
1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status
as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati
upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within The
Commonwealth in 1978 with Queen Elizabeth II as the then titular head
of state.
Because Tuvalu has few natural resources it has been dependent in
recent years upon aid from larger, more developed nations, including
Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The Perth Mint of
Australia is officially commissioned by the government of Tuvalu to
produce legal tender coinage for the island nation.
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Talisman World Coins and Medals. All Rights
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