The New Zealand Mint has released three new coins in their officially licensed Star Wars: The Force Awakens coin collection, doubling the number of coins in the new series.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the seventh official film in the popular Star Wars franchise that first debuted in 1977. It is also the first of the 'new generation'(or post George Lucas) of movies that tells the ongoing saga of the Star Wars universe. In celebration of this the New Zealand Mint is issuing an officially licensed collection of 1oz silver coins featuring characters from the movie. The first three coins in the series have already been released and feature Kylo Ren™, Captain Phasma™ and Rey™.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2016 Rey Silver Coin Vanity Cover
The coins all feature a sculpted image of the featured characters in the foreground to the left of the coin, on the reverse side. The background has been colour treated to feature scenes from the movie. The images are not photographic though, and upon closer inspection appear more like an oil painting. This gives the background a very interesting and somehow warmer feel and look. A very nice touch to make the coins stand out a bit from the slew of related merchandise already out there for Star Wars fans.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2016 BB-8 Silver Coin Reverse
The first of three new coins to be released and the fourth coin overall in the series is the BB-8 silver coin. Loyal astromech Droid, BB-8, accompanied Poe Dameron on many missions for the Resistance, helping keep his X-wing in working order. When Poe's mission to Jakku ended with his capture by the First Order, BB-8 fled into the desert with a vital clue to the location of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. The background depicts the three droids BB-8, R2-D2 and C-3PO walking through the desert.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2016 Finn Silver Coin Reverse
The second coin, or the fifth overall release features the character of Finn. FN-2187, or Finn, was trained since birth to serve the First Order as a stormtrooper, but a skirmish on Jakku awakened his conscience and drove him down a different path, one that proved both heroic and dangerous. He helped Poe Dameron escape the First Order – picking up the nickname Finn in doing so – and then sought his own freedom alongside Rey and BB-8. The background depicts Finn and Rey during a combat scene with explosions in the background.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2016 Poe Dameron Silver Coin Reverse
The last coin in this release is the sixth coin overall for the series and focuses on the pilot Poe Dameron. Poe Dameron is a commander in the Resistance’s Starfighter Corps and one of Leia Organa’s most-trusted operatives. The son of a rebel fighter pilot and a rebel commando, Poe grew up on stories of Alliance campaigns. A decorated X-wing pilot, he can fly anything – which is fortunate given how often his headstrong nature leads him into trouble. The background depicts Poe alongside BB-8 with two X-Wings flying overhead.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2016 Silver Coin Obverse
The obverse is shared by the rest of the series and bears the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by the words: “ELIZABETH II”, “NIUE”, “TWO DOLLARS” and “2016”.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2016 BB-8 Silver Coin In Box
The coins are available individually and is shipped in a unique perspex, or glass like, cube that is kept safe inside a Star Wars branded black vanity box. At 1oz of pure silver(.999 Fineness) the coins measure 40mm(1.57 Inch) each with a limited mintage of 10 000 coins per design.
Just like the Classic Star Wars collection these 1oz silver coins are currently being listed for US$85.00 each.
The entire collection can be viewed in the WNN Gallery section here : http://worldnumismaticnews.com/gallery-1/new_zealand/star_wars_the_force_awakens/
