Talisman
Coins and
the Perth Mint are excited to announce the first release in the
exciting new
Dragons
of Legend Series,
the Welsh Red Dragon! These legendary creatures have captivated
mankind's imagination since prehistory, with the origins of the Dragon
lost in the mists of time. Certainly, they were known to the
ancients - Greeks, Romans, Jews and Chinese all had their versions, and
of course it was a dragon the finally slew Beowulf, the hero of
Germanic myth. The Dragons of Legend were designed by renowned fine
artist and illustrator
Howard
David Johnson, in the realistic style for which he is famed
the world over! Following hot on the heels of the immensely
successful
Working
Dogs and
Wildlife
in Need programs, this
extremely low mintage series (
only 5,000
per dragon!) will likewise undoubtably sell out, and
quickly! Between the
extremely popular
dragon motif,
beautiful design and mintage limit, heed our
advice - get one (or more) of these colorful, one ounce,
pure
silver
dollars
while you can!
Click here for more an impressive
selection of Dragon coins!
The
Welsh Red Dragon, National Symbol of Wales
The Red Dragon of Wales is rooted in Celtic mythology. Although most
stories of dragons focus on their evil nature, the red dragon is a
protector of the Welsh people. The red dragon emblem was probably
introduced into Britain by the
Romans. Accounts suggest that when the legions departed, Welsh Britons
under the red dragon fought Saxon invaders. This entered Arthurian
legend where Myrddin (the boy wizard Merlin), employed by
Gwrtheyrn, had a vision of the red dragon (representing the
Romano-Celtic Britons)
and the white dragon (representing the invading Saxons) fighting
beneath Dinas Emrys. This particular legend also features in the
Mabinogion in the story of Lludd and Llefelys. The legendary house
of Pendragon and Celtic Britain in general have become associated with
the Welsh dragon standard.
History tells us that Welsh-born King Henry VII flew a red
dragon standard during the Wars of the Roses, and that it subsequently
appeared in the Tudor Royal Arms as a supporter in the English crown's
coat of arms (one of two supporters, along with the traditional English
lion).
After centuries of powerful
association, the red dragon (or
Y
Ddraig Goch)
became the official
symbol of Wales in 1901, and since 1959 it has adorned the national
flag. A noble and fearsome beast, the red dragon is often seen as a
shorthand for all things Welsh, being used by many public
and private institutions in Wales.
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medals depicting animals!
The
Welsh
Red Dragon
Silver Proof
is the first in the new and exciting
Dragons
of Legend Series, to be released by the Perth Mint.
Coins commemorating the following
dragons
are planned:
Welsh
Red Dragon
Chinese Dragon
St. George Slaying the Dragon
Bulgarian 3-Headed Hydra Dragon
European Green Dragon
+
Five
Coin Display Box
Click here for all the coins in
the Dragons of Legend Series!
Please see the presentation lower on this page for more information
about Tuvalu and its association with Australia.
Technology Note
The Perth Mint of Australia employs its own proprietary
colorization technology, in which the color is actually sealed on the
coin. The vibrant hues and precise execution of the technology create a
stunning, full-color portrait on each coin.
Click
here for other great colored coins!
Obverse
A full color portrait of a Red Welsh Dragon, in the craggy mountains it
calls home. The legends DRAGONS OF LEGEND and RED WELSH DRAGON denote
the theme, while the legend 1 OZ 999 SILVER
guarantees the
weight and purity.
Click here for other beautiful
silver dollars!
Reverse
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England, in crowned profile facing
right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl
earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The legend
QUEEN ELIZABETH II and denomination also appear.
Click here for more great pure
silver coins!
Packaging
The coin is encapsulated inside a black leatherette,
clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and satin,
and protected by a full-color outer box. An individually-numbered
certificate of authenticity is included.
Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island
nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and
Australia. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It is
comprised of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of
11,992 makes it the third-least populated independent country in the
world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. It is
also the second-smallest member by population of the United Nations. In
terms of physical land size, at just 10 square miles Tuvalu is the
fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican
City, Monaco and Nauru.
The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people, who arrived
about 3000 years go. The islands came under Great Britain's sphere of
influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were
administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and
as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In
1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status
as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati
upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within The
Commonwealth in 1978. with Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state.
Because Tuvalu has few natural resources it has been dependent in
recent years upon aid from larger, more developed nations, including
Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The Perth Mint of
Australia is officially commissioned by the government of Tuvalu to
produce legal tender coinage for the island nation.\
Click here for more coins and
medals depicting animals!
Talisman World Coins and Medals has been in business for more than 20
years and is one of the largest world coin direct distributors and
wholesalers in the world. ANA Life Member.
Copyright © 2011 Talisman World Coins and Medals. All Rights
Reserved.