Coins for Trekkies

[xoxoxoBruce]

The Royal Canadian Mint is issuing Star Trek coins this year. This isn't some Franklin or Danbury mint crap, this is the official mint issuing Canadian legal tender coins. I bought one a couple years ago with a dinosaur on it, and in the dark the skeleton of the dino glows green. Seriously cool.

Now they are issuing 2016 legal silver Canadian coins in 25 cent, $10 dollar and $20dollar denominations.



But you ain't seen nothing yet. The crown jewel is this $200 dollar coin of 99.99 pure gold, which is why it'll cost you $1300 Canadian($1017 US).



LINK

[sexobon]

The UK's Royal Mint commemorated Doctor Who with mint medals; but, the Royal Canadian Mint is commemorating Star Trek with legal tender coins. Is this a case of one-upmanship? Kirk, his crew, and the Enterprise over The Doctor, his companions, and the TARDIS? What does the Queen have to say about all this? Inquiring minds want to know.

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The Royal Canadian Mint is issuing Star Trek coins this year.

Coins in full 'peacock' color? NBC should love that. But then NBC canceled the series.

Of course, Star Trek would not exist had it not been for someone known for her red color - Lucille Ball.

[Undertoad]

Shatner is a Canadian expat!

[Griff]

Does he pay his taxes?

[xoxoxoBruce]

I thought it was funny the only one with a weapon is Spock.

[Undertoad]

Shat became a US citizen in 2004. All that much weirder to put him on your currency.

ETA, as much as I loved TOS, this is real second-class nation stuff, Canada. Like if the US decided that the Franklin Mint was a real mint. Real tenderable coinage should be limited to your top people, and mostly your top dead people.

[sexobon]

Government mints are often expected to be financially self supporting these days. Canada moved in early on the novelty coin business which had been previously going to quasi minting authorities (see below).

There seems to be some commercial shenanigans going on here. It's the 50th anniversary of the original series; yet, there're no 50 cent or 50 dollar denominations even though the 25 cent piece is 35mm in diameter (in the half dollar size ballpark, actually a little larger).

I'm guessing the rights to those denominations were previously sold, perhaps to one of those island-nations that don't even have their own circulating coins; but, sell themed coins in their name to novelty collectors as an export industry.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That is curious, no 50 cent or 50 dollar. They have a fantastic array of coins, I ordered a couple last night, but one style won't be shipped until 8-12-2016. Being Canadian I'm not sure if that's August or December, but if I have them before Christmas it's cool.

[Undertoad]

Okay then. But where is teh Gordon Lightfoot coin?

[xoxoxoBruce]

They are trying to appeal to international collectors, and hardly ever chant CANADA! CANADA! eh.
Or they're saving him for a special occasion, like after he dies.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I thought it was funny the only one with a weapon is Spock.

I thought the phaser was symbolic of the dichotomy in Spock. Kirk felt it necessary on occasion to tell Spock that he was expected to kill, if the situation warranted, despite Spock's dominant Vulcan half being inclined to sacrifice more to avoid such action than Kirk was willing to accept.

They got Scotty right, since the Star Trek communicator uses subspace frequencies and was represented as being the basis for everything subspace from transporters to warp drive.

I would have liked to seen Dr. McCoy with the tricorder since that concept had its greatest impact as a medical tricorder and IRL medical technology. I'd rather have seen Uhura with her hand up to her earpiece to represent communications.

None of the Star Trek coin series were; however, done in groups of five. Not even five $10 coins = $50 for the 50th anniversary: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty & Uhura). More shenanigans?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Okay then. But where is teh Gordon Lightfoot coin?

Where is Gordie Howe, eh?

[monster]

Originally Posted by Griff

Where is Gordie Howe, eh?

In a refrigerator, I suspect.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I thought it was funny the only one with a weapon is Spock.

Kirk shares the reverse with a weapon, the "Enterprise". It appears on several coins. Weapons all over the place.