Fans of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books and movies are lined up around the block this holiday season to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The latest installment of the franchise takes place in 1920s America, where British wizard and magical-creature specialist Newt Scamander loses a few of his fantastic beasts.
There’s no shortage of licensed (and unlicensed) merchandise available for fans of the movie. T-shirts, coffee mugs, figurines, and replica wands abound, along with cell-phone covers and toy coins. One product stands apart from the rest, however. Not only is it not a toy, it’s a full ounce of 99.9% fine silver, with a legal-tender value of 5 dollars. Issued by the Cook Islands, the Fantastic Beasts coin was struck by Germany’s BH Meyer, who have perfected their “SmartMinting” technology to draw an astonishing amount of relief from coin planchets (as shown in this angled view):
A limited mintage of 5,000 Proof coins will be struck. The reverse design depicts the seal of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), which is the counterpart to the Ministry of Magic in the U.K. The governing body was established in 1693, and, like the Ministry of Magic, is charged with both regulating and protecting the U.S. wizarding population. Unlike the MOM, however, MACUSA does not have a relationship with the non-magical government (typical Yankee contrariness, perhaps).
The obverse of the coin depicts HM Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, along with the date and the legend ELIZABETH II / 5 DOLLARS / COOK ISLANDS.
Denomination | Metal | Weight | Diameter | Strike | Mintage |
$5 | .999 silver | 1 oz. | 38.6 mm | Proof | 5,000 |
The coins are packaged in a high-quality presentation box with a certificate of authenticity. Present-givers (and self-gifters) can purchase the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them High-Relief silver coin from APMEX and other select retailers. The inventory is expected to be available December 5. ❑
Koichi Ito says
It looks like US. Half Dollar coin. This 5 dollar Cook Islands one ounce silver coin has same reverse as Kennedy Half Dollar coin>
Koichi Ito says
Since it look like U.S. half dollar, you might find this coin circulating in U.S. as currency?
M Alexander says
Hello Koichi,
Remember, the American half dollar coin hardly ever circulates – and at 31 mm in diameter, this coin is 38.6 mm. so there is little similarity – but… if you do find one in your change, hold onto it, its a full ounce of pure silver – and let the rest of us know who gave this coin out so we can also go there 🙂