New Issue: Pobjoy Mint’s titanium Blue Whale coin lives again

After selling out its 2013 Blue Whale titanium coin, Pobjoy Mint has announced the release of a 2017 Blue Whale titanium coin, struck on behalf of the South Georgia and The Sandwich Islands Government.

Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at upwards of 30 metres long and 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant, and their hearts can be as heavy as an automobile. They have a broad, flat head and a long, tapered body that ends in wide, triangular flukes.

They reach these mind-boggling dimensions on a diet composed nearly exclusively of tiny shrimp-like animals called krill. During certain times of the year, a single adult blue whale consumes about four tons of krill a day.

Their colour is true blue underwater, but on the surface their colouring is more a mottled blue grey. Their underbellies take on a yellowish hue from the millions of microorganisms residing in their skin.

The obverse (shown above) depicts a right-facing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

BLUE TITANIUM

The use of the blue titanium is doubly fitting for this coin: the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is so named due to its blue appearance whilst underwater. Titanium itself is renowned for its excellent resistance to seawater, adding another exceptional link to this special coin with its association to the sea and marine life.

According to the mint, due to the difficulty of striking titanium, the metal is as strong as steel but 45 per cent lighter. Each coin in this series is “truly exclusive as no two titanium coins are exactly the same.” Each coin also features a lined effect that’s a result of the “unmistakeable qualities of titanium.”

The £2 coin has a diameter of 36.10 mm and a weight of 10 grams. There’s a mintage of 7,500 pieces.

Leave a Reply

Canadian Coin News

Canada

Canadian Coin News is Canada's premier source of information about coins, notes and medals.

Although we cover the entire world of numismatics, the majority of our readers are Canadian, and we concentrate on the unique circumstances surrounding collecting in our native land.

Send Us Your Event

Running an event? Send it to us and we will display it on Canadian Coin News!

Submit Event →

Subscribe To 26 Issues For Just $59.99/year

Subscribe today to receive Canada's premier coin publication. Canadian Coin News is available in both paper and digital forms.

Subscribe Now

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.