November 3, 2016 – Coin Invest Trust dedicates the second issue in its popular MAGNIFICENT LIFE series to the Wasp Spider, which was named Spider of the Year in 2001. The concave silver coin field depicts a web that is covered in dew drops. Standing out from the centre is a female specimen of the Wasp Spider with its characteristic body markings. Thanks to the innovative smartminting© technology the animal is rendered stunningly plastic and true-to-life, while the coin field glows in its perfect proof-like quality.
Cook Islands / 5 Dollars / 1 oz .999 Silver / 38.61 mm / Design: Coin Invest Trust / Mintage: 999.
Visible on the obverse is the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Elizabeth II as well as her name, the name of the issuing nation, the nominal value and the year of issue.
The reverse shows a coloured Wasp Spider in the centre of a web covered in dew drops. Also, the name of the series, MAGNIFICENT LIFE.
Wasp Spider. Photo: Masaki Ikeda.
Wasp Spiders
The Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi), which belongs to the family of the orb-weaver spider, can grow as big as 25 mm. They are distributed in most parts of Europe as well as in some parts of Northern Africa and Asia. They spin their web, which is rendered particularly resistant by the so-called stabilimentum, a zigzag shaped silk structure, at some distance above ground level. Motionless, the spider sits in its web waiting for its favourite prey such as bees, wasps, locusts, and other insects.
The new coin benefits of improvements in the smartmining© technology and the solution for the colour application on extra-high relief coins.
Improved technologies
Thanks to the newly improved smartminting© technology, the coin field gleams in perfect proof-like quality, while the spider’s colourful body is rendered in extra-high relief. The solution for the colour application on this coin is even better than that on the preceding coin.
The coin is minted by B. H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt, Munich.
You can find further information on the Coin Invest Trust website.
Convince yourself of the coin’s quality by watching this film.
If you are curious to learn something on the Wasp spider you can go to the website of The Wildlife Trusts or watch a short documentary.