Austrian Mint’s Anthropocene Silver-Niobium 25 Euro Named Best Bi-Metallic
The Austrian Mint won the “Best Bi-Metallic Coin” category in the 2020 Coin of the Year Awards (COTY). Anthropocene, the 2018 edition of the mint’s popular Silver Niobium coins, artistically depicts the large footprint that humans have on left on our planet.
As described by the Austrian Mint:
The footprint of humanity on the Earth is unfortunately a massive one. So big that experts now agree that humanity’s impact on the planet is so profound that it is time to declare a new geologic epoch – the Anthropocene. Examples of this impact are the radioactive elements dispersed across the planet by nuclear testing, plastic pollution and the soot produced by fossil-fuel power stations. These and other adverse effects are illustrated in exquisite detail on Anthropocene, the 2018 edition of our ever-popular Silver Niobium coins.
The coin was designed by Helmut Andexlinger and Herbert Wähner, both of whom have previously designed award-winning coins for the Austrian Mint. Andexlinger currently serves as its Chief Engraver.
The obverse of the silver outer ring depicts creatures from various time periods: an Ammonite fossil (Triassic), a member of the family of insects called Tarsophlebiidae (Jurassic); a Triceratops(Cretaceous); a saber-toothed cat (Tertiary); a mammoth and a human (Quaternary). It also includes the word “Anthropocene,” as well as Republik Oesterreich and the coin’s value (25 EURO). The niobium inner core features two footprints on a globe showing Europe and parts of Asia and Africa.
The reverse’s niobium inner disc shows a nude male human, with two deciduous trees on either side. In the background is a globe depicting North and South America.
The silver outer ring includes the following imagery: a factory (representing industry); rows of homogenous plants (representing the farming practice known as monoculture); an atomizer and an electric power pylon (representing energy); and the logo PET01 for plastic polyethylene terephthalate (representing recycling). The award-winning coin has a value of 25 EURO. It measures 34.00 mm in diameter and weighs 16.50 grams. Mintage was limited to 65,000, and the coin is sold out at the Austrian Mint.