Architectural Marvels
Two of the world’s most iconic structures—the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Palace of Westminster in London—are celebrated on new silver collector coins. Coin Invest Trust AG of Liechtenstein will issue these coins in February.
(Photo: Coin Invest Trust AG)
Eiffel Tower Coin
The Eiffel Tower coin is the third release of Coin Invest Trust’s Historical Monuments series. Prior releases include coins for Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
Last year marked the centennial of the 1923 death of French civil engineer and bridge builder Gustave Eiffel. He is best known for his namesake Eiffel Tower, which his company built for the 1889 World Exposition. Today, this masterpiece of architectural genius, which could not have been built without Eiffel’s amazing engineering knowledge, towers above Paris and is one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions.
Both versions of the Eiffel Tower coin (2- and 5-ounce .9999-fine silver) were issued for the Cook Islands. The pieces are struck in ultra-high relief and have an antique finish. They have a flat base, which makes them free standing. A miniature version of the tower and a detailed map of Paris serves as the background on the reverse.
The obverse shows images of the front and back of the tower with a small portrait of King Charles III on the right.
The 5-ounce $25 coin coming next month has a 50mm diameter and a mintage of 889. (The tower first opened in 1889).
Palace of Westminster Coin
The Palace of Westminster is where the United Kingdom’s Houses of Parliament meet. It is a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture best known for its Big Ben clock tower. The structure was first constructed in 1015. Unfortunately, it caught fire in the mid-1800s and was rebuilt from 1840 to 1876.
The Westminster piece is the latest release in the company’s Tiffany Art Metropolis series. The series’ 2023 3-ounce silver proof shows the city of London.
This series is the successor to the award-winning original Tiffany Art coin series that ended in 2022. Each year, Tiffany Art Metropolis focuses on one major world city with a river running through it. About six months after the annual 3-ounce cityscape piece is issued, the company releases 5-ounce silver and gold proof coins that depict one of the chosen city’s most well-known buildings.
The 65mm Westminster piece shows different views of the palace on each side of the coin. It is a black proof (a proof with a black finish), and only 555 will be struck.