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The Twelve Olympians in the Zodiac - Hestia & Capricorn Samoa 0.20 $ 2022 Gold plated Copper/Nickel coin

Price:
35,00 €
Qty.: - +
Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Hestia's main sign if Capricorn, which stresses her more subtle but relevant nature. Capricorn, like Sagittarius, also stresses order, stability and stoicness. More so, it takes theses traits further and is a sign associated with practicality, hard work, strong will and stubbornness. Hestia, as the perpetual tender of the flames, is definitely a very hard working and practical goddess, and while I by no means would refer to her as “stubborn”, she does have a strong will in what little myths she appears in. Capricorn is also relevant in it’s role in the Zodiac. It’s the sign that covers the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is at it’s lowest, being opposite to Cancer. Thus, not only does it coincide with the time of the year where Hestia’s influence is most important, as well as to her role as the center, it also coincides with a liminal time in the Zodiac, when the Sun is reborn.
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Face value: 5 €
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 19.1 g
Metal: Brass
Mintage: 35,000

2. coin from the series “Fauna and Flora of Slovakia”.

Over the millennia of human society’s evolution, wolves have often coexisted with people. During the Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic), wolves began living in the vicinity of prehistoric hunters’ settlements and fed off meat leftovers. Wolves are found in various northern hemisphere habitats and are the second most widespread mammal on earth, after humans. They are a social animal, and their packs typically have between five and seven members. Weighing between 30 and 70 kg, wolves are classified as large carnivores. They have exceptional senses of smell, sight (night vision) and hearing, which they use to prey mainly on large ungulates. The way that wolves relentlessly run down their prey is captured by a Russian saying: “The wolf is kept fed by its feet”. This way of hunting was well applied in the forest-steppe environment where wolves evolved. Their pack structure allows wolves to hunt prey that are several times larger than themselves (such as red deer and elk) and to raise, on average, between four and ten pups each year. Food from the kill is shared between all members of the pack. All the adult pack members help with the care and rearing of the young by bringing them food. Altruism, in other words gratuitous service to others, is seen among wolves in the way they care for injured members of the pack. This feature is characteristic of evolutionarily advanced societies of other mammals: primates and human beings. The number of wolves in Slovakia is currently estimated to be between 300 and 600. Since Slovakia shares its wolf population with Ukraine, Poland and Hungary, it is difficult to give a more precise estimate of the number of wolves present in its territory.

Obverse:

The obverse of this euro collector coin shows an outline map of Slovakia in the lower part of the design. Contained within the map are the Slovak coat of arms and the year of issuance ‘2021’. Three wolves are depicted standing on top of the map, and a smattering of wolf paw prints appear within the map and outside it. A star is shown at the top right of the design, and the name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’ runs along the edge of the upper left quadrant.

Reverse:

The upper part of the reverse portrays two wolves, one of which is howling at the moon. At the top, to the right of the moon, there is a star in the night sky. The lower part of the image consists of the outline of a wolf’s head, within which is shown the coin’s denomination ‘5’ and currency ‘EURO’. In the left part of this space are the stylised letters ‘JO’, referring to the coin’s designer Josef Oplištil. Below the outline, at the bottom left, is the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies. The words ‘VLK DRAVÝ’ are inscribed along the upper left edge of the design.
19,90 €
Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm
Mintage: 3000
35,00 €
Face value: 0.2 $
Issuing country: Samoa
Weight: 25 g
Diameter: 40 mm

Scorpio is the second Mars sign, and the one that most relates to Ares: while the fiery aspects of Aries might relate to him to some extent, it’s the more emotional Scorpio that resonates closer to him and his primal nature. As the later Autumn sign, Scorpio is related to Winter’s start, and thus to sunset-like conditions: as the Sun dims, so does life. Scorpio is defined by it’s loyalty bordering on possessiveness, as well as a rather strong impulsive nature but consciously made subtle or even outright hidden. Ares displays a surprising amount of loyalty to his family, even when most of Olympus doesn’t like him very much, and while numerous, his affairs are occult, unlike Zeus’ or Apollo’s. This reflects water as darkness: driven by strong impulses, but with the element of mystery and hidden nature. Due to Scorpio’s vindictiveness and hidden nature, it is often considered the most malign of the signs, just as Ares is the most distrusted of the Olympians, but neither are “evil” and while unpleasant they are necessary for the inner workings of nature. Darkness is after all important to health in it’s Melatonin friendliness, especially when it’s connected to water.
35,00 €
Face value: 5 €
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 19.1 g
Metal: Brass
Mintage: 45,000

Obverse:
The obverse depicts a male western capercaillie in a heathland environment, together with a female of the species in the lower right of the design. In the background are conifer trees and an upright, splintered tree trunk. The Slovak coat of arms appears on the right side of the design, below the coin’s denomination and currency: ‘5 EURO’. Inscribed along the top edge are the name of the issuing country and the year of issuance: ‘SLOVENSKO 2024’. Next to the right edge is the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies.

Reverse:
The reverse is dominated by an image of a male western capercaillie perched on a branch. The Slovak name of the species, ‘HLUCHÁŇ HÔRNY’, is inscribed along the bottom edge of the design, while the scientific name, ‘TETRAO UROGALLUS’, appears along the upper left edge. To the right of the capercaillie is the tip of a pine branch with a cone, next to which are the stylised letters ‘TL’, referring to the coin’s designer Tomáš Lamač.

The western capercaillie is one of the largest bird species in Slovakia. The cock is black except for a bluish-green metallic sheen on the chest and for chestnut-brown wings with a white spot on the bow. The feathers below the beak are elongated and protruding, and above each eye there is a bright red spot of skin. The relatively long black tail feathers have whitish spots and broaden at the end. The hen is plainer, with a chestnut-brown, mottled plumage and a noticeable rust-coloured breast patch. The young are similar in appearance to the hen, though with somewhat less pronounced mottling. In Slovakia, the western capercaillie is found in coniferous and mixed forests at altitudes from 600 to 1,550 metres above sea level. The species thrives in scattered swathes of old, primeval-like mountain forest. The western capercaillie nests on the ground, in a shallow depression lined with dry leaves, twigs, and grass blades or pine needles. Egg-laying occurs in April-May, with the hen typically laying six to nine yellowish-brown speckled eggs. In winter and early spring, the western capercaillie feeds almost entirely on pine needles, shoots and buds, while in the summer its diet extends to various berries and plant leaves, plus an animal component consisting mainly of insects. The western capercaillie is a solitary creature, except when the two sexes come together in the mating season. During courting, the cock postures himself with raised and fanned tail feathers, erect neck, and beak pointed skywards. The western capercaillie is a protected species in Slovakia.

14,90 €
Materiall: CuNi
Weight: 9g
Diameter: 26,9 mm
Mintage: 100 000


The German government has decided to mint a €5 collectors’ coin entitled “Marmelade hoverfly”, to be issed at 13 June 2024. It is the seventh coin issued as part of the “Wonderful world of insects” series, which will see a total of nine coins with partially coloured motifs issued over the period 2022-24. The series is intended to bring into focus – especially in light of current developments (insect extinction) – a special group of animals that make up a significant part of our natural heritage.

The €5 collectors’ coin “Marmelade hoverfly” is made of a cupronickel alloy. It weighs 9.68g, measures 27.25mm in diameter and will be available both in mint condition and with a proof-like finish. The mint condition coins will be brought into circulation at their face value (€5). The collector quality coins with a proof-like finish will be higher than their face value and will be issued by the Münze Deutschland (Germany’s official sales agency for collector coins).

The coin was designed by Anna Martha Napp, an artist based in aus Maßlow (picture side), and Andre Witting, a Berlin-based artist (reverse).

The reverse, which will be used for all coins in the series, features an eagle, the words “BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND”, the value and denomination, the year 2024, the twelve stars of Europe and the letter “F” for the State Mint of Stuttgart.
Its smooth edge is engraved with the inscription: “WUNDERWELT INSEKTEN” (WONDERFUL WORLD OF INSECTS).
14,90 €