New Isle of Man Silver Coins Arrive at JM Bullion
Beautiful silver collectible coins can come from any nation around the world, whether produced directly by a sovereign mint or issued by another facility. The Isle of Man is one of the smallest nations in the world, with a total population estimated around 87,000 people as of 2016. Despite its small size and low population, the Isle of Man has produced some unique silver bullion and proof coins over the years. A new set of Isle of Man Silver Coins issued in 2018 is now available from JM Bullion, and both are based upon historic British coinage design concepts.
Isle of Man Silver Angel Coin
The new 2018 1 oz Isle of Man Silver Angel Coin is a proof specimen with a design concept based upon the Medieval British coin known as the Gold Angel. The Gold Angel was introduced by the Royal Mint in 1465 during the reign of King Edward IV and depicted a vision of the Archangel Michael battling a dragon. The value of the original Gold Angels was adjusted by various monarchs over time based upon the availability and access to gold in Britain, but it generally ranged from 6 shillings 8 pence to 11 shillings.
On the reverse of 2018 Isle of Man Angel Coins is the image of a powerful St. Michael with a halo above his head, large wings upon his back, and a shield with the Christian cross in one hand. He wield a spear with his other hand as he stands over the dragon to slay it. These Isle of Man Silver Coins have face value known as “Angel” and contain 1 Troy oz of .999 pure silver. As proof specimens, these Isle of Man Silver Coins have frosted design elements with mirrored background fields.
Isle of Man Silver Noble Coin
Before the British Royal Mint issued the Gold Angel coins under King Edward IV, the Gold Noble was the only widely used gold coin within the kingdom. King Edward III of England was responsible for the introduction of the Gold Noble, England’s first high-quantity coin with wide circulation among the people and even outside the kingdom’s borders. The Gold Noble was available from 1344 to 1464 and depicted the ruling monarch on a sailing ship with various Christian design themes on the reverse.
The new 2018 1 oz Isle of Man Silver Noble Coin borrows from this design concept with an image unique to the small island nation. The Isle of Man has a rich Norse history, so the ship featured on the reverse design of these coins is a Viking longboat sailing calm waters with seagulls visible on either side of the mast and sail. The coins have a face value known as a “Noble” and feature 1 Troy oz of .999 pure silver. Like the Silver Angel, these coins are proof specimens with traditional visual aspects of a proof coin.
Shared Obverse Design
Both of these new Isle of Man Silver coins have the same obverse design. On the obverse side of both is a unique right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. This image is found only on coins for the Isle of Man and was created by Jody Clark, the Royal Mint artist behind the latest fifth-generation portrait of the Queen used on British coinage produced by the Royal Mint of England. Clark’s depiction for the Isle of Man coins includes the full bust of the Queen, complete with her upper torso featured. Engravings on this side include “Queen Elizabeth II,” “Isle of Man,” “2018,” and Clark’s “JC” initials.
The 2-Coin Isle of Man Sets
Each of these designs from the Isle of Man is available for individual purchase. The individually-issued coins have a limited mintage of 15,000 and ship to you inside of a protective capsule. However, you’ll also find each design available in a limited-issue 2-coin set as well. The 2-Coin set includes two coins of the same design, with one of these proof coins previewed here and a reverse proof of the same design.
A reverse proof coin has the same combination of visual features and finishes, but as the name suggests those elements are reversed. Rather than frosted matte design sets and clear background fields, a reverse proof has stunning, clear design elements and a frosted, matte background field for a distinct appearance.
Where is the Isle of Man?
The Isle of Man is a small island located in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Great Britain. The island covers just 221 square miles and has a population of just 83,314 people, most of whom live in the largest settlement and capital of Douglas. The Isle of Man was first cut away from mainland Great Britain by moving tectonic plates around 8,000 BC and colonized around 6,500 BC. Gaelic people were the first to settle down in established villages on the island in the 5th century and formed the backbone of the well-known Manx language on the island. In 627, Edwin of Northumbria conquered the Island and by the 9th century Norsemen took control of the island as the Kingdom of the Isles. King Magnus III of Norway was the ruler of the Isles from 1099 to 1103.
From 1266 onward, control of the Isle of Man bounced between Scotland and England. As of 1765, the island has been under the control of the English Crown and is today a Crown Dependency. The Isle of Man is self-governing and has a Lieutenant Governor. Queen Elizabeth II is currently the head of state and holds the title Lord of Mann.
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If you have questions about these beautiful new coins, please contact us at 800-276-6508, chat with us live online, or send us an email with your inquiries. At JM Bullion, we encourage you to follow us on Facebook as well for unique contests and updates on forthcoming releases. You can also follow our blog for weekly updates on new coins, previews of upcoming releases, and other numismatist news.
