Colorized Coins Are Here To Stay

PCGS - I recall when I was cataloging at Heritage Auctions in 2017, a gold coin that was consigned by a dealer caught my eye. It wasn't that the coin was necessarily a work of art, but that the design appeared as if it was somewhat pixelated. I suspect some type of digital printing was used. It was an oddity, and yet it was kind of revolutionary at the same time.


2019 Austria 25 Euros Artificial Intelligence, PCGS MS70. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView.

In 2006, the nation of Tuvalu issued a one-ounce gold coin commemorating the iconic 1963 Corvette Stingray, and only 250 pieces were issued. I cataloged the coin, and it sold for a little over $1,400, which amounted to roughly a 6% premium over the price of spot gold at the time. Generally, colorized coins end up being a novelty and will trade below the issue price in the aftermarket. However, that's not always the case, and some issues develop a cult following, such as coins depicting The Simpsons, a popular animated series developed by American cartoonist Matt Groening.

Since the show's debut in 1989, The Simpsons has spawned some 750 episodes and has set numerous broadcast records. It is the longest-running American animated series, longest-running American sitcom, and the longest-running American scripted primetime television series, when counted by both the number of seasons and individual episodes. The popularity of The Simpsons flourished during the 1990s. Toys, cards, comics, t-shirts, video games, pinball machines, and coins have been produced for collectors worldwide.


2019 Tuvalu $1 The Simpsons Donut, PCGS PR70DCAM. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView.

The Simpsons Donut Coin was issued in 2019 by Tuvalu and was struck at the Perth Mint in Australia. This coin could have been purchased at issue for about $100 USD or less in the original packaging. A PCGS First Strike PR70DCAM specimen fetched around $200 during the same time. Nowadays, the same coin will cost a collector well north of $500. But then again, who doesn't like a doughnut with frosting and sprinkles? A popular assemblage within the PCGS Set Registry is titled Tuvalu The Simpsons Series (2019-Present). This set highlights the main characters of the show and includes Homer's favorite drink, Duff Beer, which has a coin of its own.


2006 Tuvalu $100 Corvette Stingray, PCGS PR69DCAM. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView.

Colorized coins are not only limited to advanced printing technology. In 2003, The Austrian Mint and Plansee Aktiengesellschaft debuted colorized coins made with silver-niobium. During a chemical process known as anodic oxidation, the Plansee website describes their colorization process as follows, "During an anodic oxidation process, the coin is dipped into an electrolytic solution and an electrical voltage is applied. This voltage converts the outermost metal layer into an oxide layer just a few nanometers thick. It is the thickness of this oxide layer that determines the respective color effect. The oxidation process is so precise that every coin exhibits the same color." Over the past 20 years, the silver-niobium technology has evolved into metallic masterpieces that can be purchased for less than $100 USD.

The remarkable designs and color combinations produced by the Austrian Mint have evolved each year. Visual acuity is the central theme of these coins, and as time passes, it seems the designs get better and better. One technology company that is at the center of the "AI'' or "Artificial Intelligence" revolution is NVIDIA Corporation, and the coin we have featured is from 2019. The legend on the coin reads "Kunstliche Intelligenz," which translates into "Artificial Intelligence." Another coin from the same series that was minted in 2022 is called "Extra-Terrestrial," which displays beautiful design work as well. The obverse of the coin displays a being cradling Earth from a distance, and the reverse exhibits chemical symbols that are part of our everyday lives. This coin and the entire series to date may be viewed on the PCGS Set Registry under the title Austrian 25 Euro Silver Commemoratives, Circulation Strikes (2003-present). One of our members, Theodorosp, has displayed the entire set in a Dansco digital album, which may be viewed by clicking the second icon next to their name. We encourage our readers to check out this visual experience as it is splendid to view.

One of the oldest methods to colorize coins is known as "gilt" or "gilding." This technique uses a very thin layer of gold to cover any metal to enhance its appearance in a golden hue. Gold foil or gold leafing is a process dating back to the second century BC. The French term for silver being gilded with gold is referred to as vermeil. Even today, gilding is used within the world of numismatics.



2022 Niue Star Wars Chibi C-3PO Gilt Silver, Courtesy of New Zealand Mint, Star Wars Day Chibi Coins May 4, 2022, Release. Courtesy of NZMint.com.

A 2022 Niue (Islands) Chibi C-3PO coin issued by the New Zealand Mint appears as golden as his character in the Star Wars series thanks to the gilt process. This coin was sold out and trades above the issue price today. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, has brought us a collection of movies to enjoy for many years into the future. Characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Yoda, R2-D2, and Jabba the Hutt have all made their way to coinage. One set PCGS offers collectors to build is the Niue Chibi Star Wars $2 Set, Proof (2020-2021), displaying uniquely shaped, colorful coins.

Some mints may elect to use a combination of advanced and past technology together. The Czechoslovakian Mint combined the proof striking process and a hologram to produce a masterpiece of a coin: the Skoda 498, commemorating a locomotive engineering marvel produced in 1946. The Skoda 498 steam locomotive was dubbed the "Albatros" and rode the rails for 30 years. In 1976, the Skoda 498 was retired from service as electricity was favored to power most trains of the day. A high-relief effect on the coin is heightened by such features described by the Mint website in summary "The depth of the effect structure is less than one micron. It displays sparks at seemingly different depths below the plane of the hologram. Linear kinetic effects work with the edges and protruding parts of the locomotive. The colors change when the hologram is tilted, which implies the movement of the vehicle." How cool is that? My five-year-old nephew may not understand what a vintage coin means to a collector. However, when he looks at an enhanced holographic image, the visual part of his brain starts moving like the wheels of that train.


2019 Czechoslovakia 500 Korun Skoda 498 Albatros, PCGS PR70DCAM. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView.

Muscle cars, cartoon characters, movie heroes, movie villains, pop culture, historical themes, and comic book characters to name a few, will remain part of modern coinage allure going forward. Some collectors may not want to buy a newly issued circulation coin from a mint. But those same collectors could potentially purchase coins from The Royal Mint of London with colorized coinage honoring musicians Elton John and David Bowie, which - might I add - were quickly sold out upon release and are available in the secondary market at higher prices. The artists who innovate and conceive these new coin themes will also have the opportunity to blend new and old technology together. Or, these innovators may come up with new processes that may gain a cult following, like the 1984 smash-hit film Gremlins, produced by Steven Spielberg. Will modern colorized issues continue to climb in value from their issue price? It depends on the series, availability, innovation, and the fanbase. Star Wars coins may trade at higher premiums if demand continues to grow for its coinage.

Some issues may not be well received by collectors, and prices might subsequently drop as with any issue. Colorized coinage is here to stay and will continue expanding its fanbase. Novelty or not, novelty coins garner a collector base that is different from the traditional collector of vintage coins. Collecting is all about you, the collector. Collect what you want, when you want. There is no right or wrong way to collect or express yourself on the PCGS Set Registry. Anyone can start their PCGS Registry Set for free and with as few as two coins!

Hopefully, my five-year-old nephew doesn't ask me for The Simpsons Donut coin, which would set me back $500. He would then show my seven-year-old niece the coin, who would want the same coin costing me another $500. This would cut into my personal doughnut-consumption budget for the next two years, which cannot happen because, as Homer Simpson says, "Mmmmmmmm. Doughnuts!"