Celebrating summer on coins & currency
Summer is the season of nature’s beauty and bounty. When plants, flowers and trees blossom and flourish. When animals and people shed their winter coats. And when nature displays its full and fertile colors – even on coins and currency.
To represent their country of origin, coins and paper money around the world feature native flora and fauna. Vibrant color has appeared on world paper money for decades. But it is increasingly seen on coins as well. Color has proven very popular in the world of collecting.
Colorization on 2019 world coins
Canada celebrates the start of summer this year with a 2019 silver $8 coin selectively colorized with brilliant pink cherry blossoms. The coin also features Kanji characters of Japan – where cherry trees have thrived for centuries. Japan has given cherry blossom trees as gifts to many North American cities including Washington, D.C.
For dazzling color, few coins can match the Pacific island of Niue’s 2019 silver $2 Proof. A stunning array of colorful flowers are seen above and below bluebirds representing lovers. Set into the coin between them is a ruby-red cubic zirconia. An impressive example of color in coin collecting!
Nature’s colorful beauty on U.S. coins & notes
The U.S. Mint’s ongoing National Park quarter series features many of America’s most beautiful and beloved places. Littleton’s artists have enriched each reverse design with vibrant full color.
Similarly, our exclusive Great American Landscapes series features majestic full-color landscapes with native flowers and birds on $2 Federal Reserve Notes. Our Yellowstone note depicts an erupting geyser, local wildflowers and a Steller’s jay. The Maine Coast issue features a classic coastal lighthouse with brilliant purple lupines and colorful native puffins.
The U.S. Mint has discovered the popularity of natural subjects with Statehood and National Park quarters. But it has yet to use color like many foreign mints do on commemorative coins for collectors. These have proven to be very profitable for the mints of Canada, Australia and numerous other nations. We can only wait and see if the U.S. Mint dips its toe into the pool of color!
