2021 NEPTUNE from “Solar System” Series; 17.5g Ruthenium Silver Proof Coin; 500 Francs Cameroon

Description

Metal                    Silver

Purity                   0.999

Weight                 17.5 gms (~ 0.56 Troy oz)

Dimensions          50 mm

Attributes             Proof, Ruthenium Coating, Partial Gold Gilding, Magnifying Lens

Mintage                555

Packaging             Presentation Box and CoA

Named after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune is the eighth planet in the Earth’s solar system and the farthest from the Sun—Pluto, formerly the solar system’s ninth planet, was reclassified from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006. More than 30 times as far from the Sun as Earth, Neptune is the only planet in our solar system not visible to the naked eye and the first predicted by mathematics before its discovery. A slow-moving celestial body, in 2011 Neptune completed its first 165-year orbit of the Sun since its discovery in 1846!

The image of Neptune was achieved through digital printing and the coin comes decorated with a magnifying lens. Struck in 17.5 grams of highly pure 99.9% fine silver, the coin was further enhanced with a rich layer of Black Ruthenium that creates a remarkable contrast with the colorized depiction of Neptune. As a final touch, the coin has been selectively gilded in fine gold to highlight the planets of the solar system.

Neptune holds the well-earned title as the windiest planet in our solar system, with momentous gusts that can surpass more than 1,200 miles an hour. It’s also one of the most beautiful planets with a blue sapphire hue. That soothing color is a result of the methane in Neptune’s atmosphere that absorbs red light and reflects blue, giving the planet its beautiful and iconic blue tint. Our first close-up view of Neptune occurred on August 25, 1989, when NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft made a close flyby of Neptune and revealed the planet’s sapphire expanse and the whirling wind-swept chaos in the form of cloudy bands and massive gyres that looked like dark smudges on the planet’s surface. The flyby also discovered five moons, four rings, and a “Great Dark Spot.” A giant ice planet composed primarily of gases and liquids; Neptune has no well-defined solid surface. For astrologers, Neptune is the gatekeeper of illusion and the subconscious and is the symbol of dreams, imagination, and intuition.

This rendition of Neptune comes in proof condition, meaning it was expertly crafted by the mint from hand-selected planchets, polished dies and multiple strikes to produce beautifully frosted details rising over mirror-like fields! Plus, each coin will come housed in its original mint packaging that consists of a special presentation frame with a solar system spiraling in the background.