Introducing the World's Largest Commemorative Silver Coin!

Euro Collections International is proud to introduce collectors to this most majestic and innovative of numismatic items. The 2011 Sistine Chapel Silver Proof Collection has been issued to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the original, gloriously breathtaking work of art created by master painter Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512.


Niue 2011 $33 Sistine Chapel Silver Proof Collection

As a complete item measuring an astonishing 326 x 120 millimeters and weighing an impressive 1 kilogram, this numismatic reproduction of one of the most treasured works of art in history is made up of 33 separate pieces (in 5 different sizes), each featuring expertly crafted, vibrant edgeless colour printing to form a seamless recreation of Michelangelo's world famous artistic structure.



The Sistine Chapel is the best-known Chapel in Christianity. It was built by Giovanni de’ Dolci as Papal Chapel for Pope Sixtus IV between 1477 and 1482. It is famous for its architecture, evocative of Solomon´s Temple of the Old Testament and its decoration. Pope SixtusIV consecrated the first mass in honor of “Our Lady of the Assumption” in 1483. Since then the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today it is the site of the Papal Conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected.




Michelangelo Buonarroti was commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1508 to repaint the ceiling of the Chapel. It was originally painted as golden stars on a blue sky. The work was completed between 1508 and 1512. Michelangelo painted 12,000sq feet (1,100m2) of the chapel ceiling with themes from the Book of Genesis. He was originally commissioned to paint only 12 figures, the Apostles. After the work was finished, there were more than 300. Today the ceiling is widely believed to be Michelangelo's crowning achievement in painting.




To suitably complete this superb product, each massive 33 piece silver coin is presented in the highest quality packaging - with the completed work of art set between two sheets of thick, protective perspex. Also supplied is an elegant display stand and a pair of gloves for proper handling - all set within a top quality, transparent top red timber box that comes within a final black leatherette outer case for ultimate protection. To cap off this magnificent offer, each Sistine Chapel Silver Proof Collection is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity and an official, highly descriptive information booklet with details surrounding the creation of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling masterpiece.




Only 500 Sistine Chapel Silver Proof Collections have been released world-wide, and through our network or distributors ECI has managed to acquire a tiny allocation to offer discerning collectors of the most original, elegant and intriguingly innovative numismatic items. With our special layaway program making owning this imposing coin an option for an even wider range of collectors, an immediate order is recommended to avoid missing out on a truly rare and unique spectacle of minting excellence.



Information about Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel work was taken from Wikipedia. Source

New $100 Tasmanian Tiger One Ounce Gold Coin Released!

March 16, 2011: One of the most desirable, most exclusive gold issues to be released in Australia, this exquisite legal tender coin forms the ultimate tribute to one of Australia’s most intriguing, most well-known native creatures – the Tasmanian Tiger. To be offered on a subscription basis, with orders taken only until the 15th of April, 2011, no more than 150 examples of this MASSIVE ONE TROY OUNCE .9999 FINE GOLD PROOF WILL EVER BE STRUCK!


Niue 2011 $100 Tasmanian Tiger 1oz Gold Proof

Produced by Swiss precious metal specialists Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux (PAMP), this new release is a masterwork of numismatic craftsmanship. Struck to the most rigorous Proof standards from a full troy ounce of pure, lustrous .9999 gold, every collector will be impressed by the glorious full-colour motif, the sharply frosted background designs and the stunning mirrored field. Unquestionably one of the finest colour coins we have ever offered, capturing perfectly the distinctive appearance of the Tasmanian Tiger, the full-colour design has been created in fully struck-up high relief!

Sure to command the attention of those enchanted by the unparalleled beauty, rarity and prestige of the world’s favourite precious metal – and the many people seeking coins defined by extremely exclusive limited availability – there is no doubt that the tiny maximum mintage of 150 will be achieved at super speed. Indicative of demand for all large gold coins, the 100-coin mintage of the 2010 $100 Ned Kelly 1oz Gold Proof was over-subscribed in just SEVEN days!

With only one hundred and fifty people ACROSS THE WORLD able to enjoy this prestigious, edge-numbered 38.61mm 1oz Gold Proof, the need for an immediate order is obvious.

• Incredibly exclusive, the ‘strike-to-order’ mintage has been set at just 150! • Crafted to the highest Proof quality from a troy ounce of .9999 fine gold • Stunning full-colour design – created in fully struck-up high relief! • Measuring 38.61mm in diameter, the 1oz gold flan features edge numbering • Beautifully presented within a superb timber presentation case • Complete with an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity

Austrian Mint Release New Niobium and Silver Coin Dedicated to Robotics

March 16, 2011: The Austrian mint will issue today the 2011 edition of its highly sought after niobium and silver bimetallic coin, this year featuring robotics.
Robotics is no longer science fiction but an integral part of our daily lives. Almost every aspect of our modern lives has been touched by robotics from simple tasks such as vacuuming, or pool cleaning to precision manufacturing or voice controls in cars, protecting soldiers in the field and exploration of outer space, to name but a few.


Austria 2011 25€ Robotics Silver Niobium BU

The obverse of the new bimetallic coin features a robot in a humanoid form, reflecting the Vitruvian man of Leonardo Da Vinci, recognizing the advanced thinking of this great man, and reminding us all that we are a product of centuries of thinking. The perfectly proportioned Vitruvian man is easy to replicate in the man-made world of robotics. The "robot's" arms in the two positions are exactly proportioned to fit right to the edge of the niobium core. The Vitruvian-like robot is standing on lines of zeros that run from the outer silver ring across the niobium core and onto the other side of the silver ring, representing the thousands of lines of binary code that are required to program a robot. The binary code and the cogwheels, represent the electronic and mechanical worlds that are required for development in robots.

Also on the obverse of the coin and located in the silver ring is the country of issue, Republic of Austria, and the year of issue. The face value of the coin, 25 euros, is located in the left quadrant of the pure niobium design field.

The reverse of the coin depicts a robotic lander on the surface of Mars - hence the deep reddish-pink colour of the 2011 niobium coin. The mars lander is based on a design by the European Space Agency. The six-wheeled lander operates on solar power collected by large panels and shown in the middle third of the coin design. The lander is also equipped with a camera seen in the middle of the silver ring at the top of the coin. In the background is a mountainous Martian landscape covered with boulders. At the top and the left of the silver ring stars are depicted. Earth is noted in the lower part of the silver ring.

The niobium core of the 2011 edition has been oxidised prior to the striking. When the niobium core and the silver ring are placed into a coin press and then struck twice the metals fuse together and the oxidised surface of the reddish-pink core takes on a shimmer that creates a rainbow effect on the surface of the coin's core, One can see a shimmer of bronze, blue, purple, pink and copper on the niobium surface of the core. The flow of the metal during the striking process determines how the shimmer effect will finally appear and therefore each coin has a unique colour.

The word 'robot' has been around since 1921 when Czech playwright Karl Capek coined the word in his play "Rossum's Universal Robots, R.U.R". The word comes from the Czech word 'robota' meaning forced labour, and repetitive work. Robots early on were found in manufacturing facilities completing simple repetitive work. Now robots are used for much more complex and intricate work completing several tasks in one smooth and efficient motion. The sophistication of robots is ever increasing, such that today cognitive computing is used more and more to program them. The fields of psychology, neuroscience, computer science and mathematics are all coming together with the science of electronics and mechanics. Robots have "learned" to "play" sports such as soccer and ping-pong, and are very dexterous at conducting complex operations on humans in hospitals. We can hardly imagine how robots will continue to evolve and how robots will bring the world to us in the future.

The new 25-euro coin is issued with a maximum mintage of 65,000 pieces and is struck in brilliant uncirculated quality only. It has a diametre of 34mm and contains 9 grams of 90% fine silver in the outer ring. The core consists of 7.15 grams of 99.8% pure niobium. Each coin is encapsulated, boxed and accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

The Royal Mint Announce Collector Coins To Celebrate Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton

February 21, 2011 - The Royal Mint has released information on the soon-to-be-issued commemorative £5 platinum, gold and silver coins, struck to high quality standards, to celebrate the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, to be held on April 29, 2011.


Great Britain 2011 £5 Royal Wedding BU

From The Royal Mint press release:

As excitement builds across the UK and internationally ahead of the April wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Buckingham Palace have confirmed the issue of an official UK £5 coin to celebrate this historic event. It is our great privilege to announce that the Royal Mint will be producing this coin, the only official UK coin that will be launched to commemorate the Royal Wedding. The proposed coin design is currently with The Royal Household for approval. Once the design is approved, it will be revealed. It will then be presented at a meeting of the UK Privy Council on 16th March, at which point it will pass into law to become official UK tender, and be confirmed as the only official UK coin to commemorate this Great British event.

Great Britain 2011 £5 Royal Wedding Silver Proof

Sure to be the most popular of the coins released for this special event will be the easily affordable £5 Brilliant Uncirculated crown, struck in cupro-nickel and housed in an official informative presentation folder, with a mintage of 250,000.



Great Britain 2011 £5 Royal Wedding Gold Proof

Other coins to be issued are the £5 Silver Proof Crown with a mintage of 50,000, £5 Fine Gold-Plated Silver Crown with a mintage of 7500, £5 Silver Piedfort Crown with a mintage of 3000, £5 Gold Proof Crown with a mintage of 3000 and the £5 Platinum Piedfort Crown with a tiny worldwide mintage of just 200 issues - so there is a Royal Wedding commemorative release to suit any budget. All coins are the official release of Great Britain.

The official release of these memorable commemorative coins will be in late March.