From the Earth to the Stars
In April the Austrian Mint released the latest coin in its popular, award-winning series on science and technology. Made of a combination of silver and niobium, the new coin focuses on the edaphon, or all animal and plant life present in the soil.
And on May 15, the mint will launch an exciting new annual astronomy series called The Beauty of the Universe. Each coin will depict “one of the most spectacular phenomena in the universe in the most spectacular way possible on a coin.” The debut release is about a supernova, or the colossal explosion of a star.
Edaphon
The first coin is the 22nd release in the mint’s niobium silver coin series. The mint dedicated the 2024 issue to the edaphon, the soil that is the foundation of our existence and the key to the planet’s future.
The obverse depicts factors that contribute to soil development: time, climate, mineral material, and soil organisms. These appear on the niobium core. The relief of the landscape is shown on the outer silver ring. The coin depicts a plant’s roots at the center.
The reverse’s outer silver ring features a mole at the top, an earthworm on the left, a snail at the bottom, and an ant on the right. The niobium core on this side shows a leaf on top and three other important organisms below: a fungal mycelium on the left, a beetle on the right, and an earthworm above.
Supernova
From 2021 to 2023, the mint issued three coins in its Uncharted Universe series. These depict the Milky Way in 2021, a black hole in 2022, and a neutron star in 2023. Those coins feature partial color and unusual shapes. They sold out at the mint on issue day and have also won several awards.
The new series, The Beauty of the Universe, features five new 20-euro coins that illustrate the diversity and beauty of the universe with coins made of unique shapes.
The debut supernova coin commemorates the first discovered supernova, the Crab Nebula, which was observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054. It features a scalloped edge and a domed shape. The obverse—common to the series and not colored—features astronomical markings and the country of issue and denomination. The reverse depicts a colorful supernova.
The series includes the Einstein ring in 2025, the Cat’s Eye Nebula in 2026, the gravitational wave in 2027, and the protostar in 2028. Each has a 30,000-minted, 34-mm diameter, and is made of 22.42g of .925 silver.