For the indigenous people of North America, a bear was not just a bear and humans merely one type of being among other beings. The bear also possessed a soul and was considered a supernatural being that was viewed with a mixture of awe and fear. The calmness, self-assurance and imperturbability expressed in the bear’s expression on the Healing Power of the Bear are a fitting reflection of this.

The blue-ringed octopus is a brilliant example of how fascinating and colourful the underwater world can be. One of the most intelligent invertebrates, this amazing animal is not only smart but also highly toxic. If it feels threatened its rings illuminate several times per second. This is exactly what it does on the first coin in the Luminous Marine Life series. You will be amazed.

Some 2,500 years ago, the nomadic Scythian people had a talent for celebrating animals. This was helped by an extraordinary sense of beauty that was awakened and nourished by the brilliance of gold – a brilliance showcased on the fourth coin in The Magic of Gold series, which traces the mysterious nature of gold in ancient cultures.

As marigolds turn their heads to follow the trajectory of the sun from east to west, they suggest things are moving forward. Combined with their bright colours, this has led to meanings of joy, gratitude, warmth, affection, peace, protection, contentment and understanding. It’s little wonder that some people refer to the third flower in the Language of Flowers series as ‘the sunshine herb’.

Approved by the European Council of Ministers in 1987, the Erasmus Programme promotes cultural, social and academic exchanges between European students. But who exactly was the Erasmus after whom the programme was named?

Is there anybody out there or is all life in the universe limited to our tiny ‘third rock from the sun’? And if we manage to establish contact with extraterrestrials, will it be love at first sight or a match made in hell? These and other eternal questions are explored on Extraterrestrial Life, the 2022 edition of our ever-popular Silver Niobium coin.