In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!
SOLD OUT at the Perth Mint!
ALL previous 12 Zodiac Signs 5 Oz Silver coins have all sold out immediately at the mint and skyrocketed in value.
In a world of bland and boring coins, here's a real numismatic standout, a masterpiece of the minter's art! Awash with stunning color, every one of the 12 signs of the Roman zodiac is represented here. Each symbolizes one of 12 constellations central to Western astrology, with names derived from either Greek or Roman mythology. The original artwork for each star sign was created by Perth Mint artist and designer Lucas Bowers, portrayed as white silhouetted figures against a vibrantly colored star field, separated from the others by the rays of the Sun. Included in each star quadrant are the names of each star sign, its pictogram, and its astrological symbol. The twelve signs are anchored at the center by a benign Sun and Man in the Moon, which radiate yellow, orange and red positive energy.
We absolutely love the subtle and detailed artistry of this tribute to the 12 Signs of the Roman Zodiac! The pictogram of each sign and its name are indicated with the image of each star sign! As an added bonus, each sign's stellar constellation appears above its image!
There are no legends on the obverse, other than the individual names of the twelve zodiacal signs, to further enhance the beauty of the design! This extraordinarily low mintage coin (only 488) will undoubtedly sell out, and quickly! This 5 troy ounce pure silver gem is struck in ultra high, medallic relief on an extra-thick planchet (it is a piedfort), with an antiqued finish accented by stunning full color. Between the extremely popular Zodiac motifs, beautiful design and limited mintage, heed our advice—stock up and get one (or more) of these stunning beauties while you can!
The mintage of just 488 is far too few to satisfy collector demand. Don't miss out, get yours today!
The Roman or Western Zodiac
Early civilizations believed that the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets have a tremendous influence on people and their earthly affairs. Observing the night sky over the course of a year, the Babylonians identified 12 different patterns of stars through which the Sun appeared to travel. The roots of astrology lay in the idea that a person’s character and fate were somehow linked to the arrangement of these celestial bodies at the time of their birth.
The renowned Greek astronomer Ptolemy gave the concept scientific respectability in the 2nd century AD when he codified many pre-existing astrological beliefs. He described the zodiac (meaning "circle of little animals") as comprising the 12 constellations, matching them with the month of their apparent ascendancy:
Aries – The Ram (March 21 – April 19)
Taurus – The Bull (April 20 – May 20)
Gemini – The Twins (May 21 – June 20)
Cancer – The Crab (June 21 – July 22)
Leo – The Lion (July 23 – August 22)
Virgo – The Maiden (August 23 – September 22)
Libra – The Scales (September 23 – October 22)
Scorpio – The Scorpion (October 23 – November 21)
Sagittarius – The Centaur (November 22 – December 21)
Capricorn – The Goat (December 22 – January 19)
Aquarius – The Water bearer (January 20 – February 18)
Pisces – The Fish (February 19 – March 20)
To Ptolemy, this ever-changing movement of the stars and planets created moods, powers and atmospheres to which Earth’s inhabitants were sensitive, an idea which continues to resonate with many people to this day. Closely associated with the signs of the zodiac, a horoscope (derived from the Greek words Ōra and scopos meaning "time" and "observer") is a chart of the heavens at a precise point in time, such as on someone’s birth date. Astrology interprets the meaning of the chart to explain aspects of the individual’s personality, as well as to try to predict future events.
Stunning Finish!
In keeping with its ancient themes, the coin has been antiqued by hand to give it an unique finish conveying the surface abrasions of an aged artefact. As a result of this treatment, the appearance of each coin of the extremely limited mintage may vary. Further accentuating its uniqueness is the enamel-style medallic coloration of each sign. The Perth Mint will release no more than 488 of the Twelve Signs of the Roman Zodiac 5 Troy Ounce Pure Silver Antiqued coin.
Please see the
presentation lower on this page for more information about Tuvalu and
its association with Australia.
Investment Note
This pure silver coin features all twelve signs of the Roman or Western Zodiac on an oversize, five troy ounce pure silver piedfort. With its highly detailed and well-executed design, high relief, sizable precious metal content, intriguing theme and extremely low mintage limit, we expect this gem to sell out quickly. Don't delay, get this beauty today!
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
Please see above for description. There are no legends on the obverse, other than the individual names of the twelve zodiacal signs, to further enhance the beauty of the full color zodiac vignettes!
Reverse
The reverse features Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This is the QEII memorial portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The dates of Elizabeth's reign, 1952-2022, are indicated beneath her portrait. The legend QUEEN ELIZABETH II, the date and the denomination also appear. The legend 5 OZ 9999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity.
Packaging
The coin is housed inside a handsome taupe 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
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 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.
Investment Note
This pure silver coin features all twelve signs of the Roman or Western Zodiac on an oversize, five troy ounce pure silver piedfort. With its highly detailed and well-executed design, high relief, sizable precious metal content, intriguing theme and extremely low mintage limit, we expect this gem to sell out quickly. Don't delay, get this beauty today!
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
Please see above for description. There are no legends on the obverse, other than the individual names of the twelve zodiacal signs, to further enhance the beauty of the full color zodiac vignettes!
Reverse
The reverse features Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This is the QEII memorial portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The dates of Elizabeth's reign, 1952-2022, are indicated beneath her portrait. The legend QUEEN ELIZABETH II, the date and the denomination also appear. The legend 5 OZ 9999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity.
Packaging
The coin is housed inside a handsome taupe 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 | 2023 |
| Face Value | Five Dollars |
| Weight | 155.533 g |
| Diameter | 55.90 mm |
| Gauge (Thickness) | 8.50 mm |
| Mintage Limit | 488 |
| Finish | Antiqued with Color and Ultra High Relief |
| Composition | .9999 Fine (Pure) Silver |
| Edge | Plain |
| Artist | Lucas Bowers (obverse) Ian Rank-Broadley (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 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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