Thanks to a donation from the kind folk at New Zealand Mint Rebelscum is able to present a detailed look at their new Millennium Falcon collectible coin - first in their Star Wars ships line.


My immediate impression on opening the bubble-wrapped bundle is that it has heft. Something solid - especially when it contains a precious metal - is very reassuring. Inside the padded envelope is a square black presentation case in the style of Hasbro's "Black Series" protected by a sealed clear plastic baggie. I don't want to leave you with the impression that the case is in anyway toy-like. It isn't at all - it has a slick and silky appearance with glossy text attesting to its contents. All in all it has a modern classic look, and the solid MDF case is well constructed and the snug fitting lid slides off smoothly.

Inside the case is a layer of felt, wrapping the inner case and acting as a buffer between the box. While you wont be chasing this material down to make a wedding dress out of, it is still a well thought-out touch that insures the two cases won't get scuffed.

The inner case, which is made of a MDF wood, has a comfortably stiff hinge that makes the contents feel secure. The hinge seems to have a spring because it snaps closed with surety - so mind your fingers - to provide a solid casement. The lid of the inner case has a soft lining, in, which sits a 2-page booklet providing the COA for the coin. Interestingly the numbered COA is a legal requirement because, as well as being licensed by Disney, part of being legal tender is that only a certain number of coins can be produced so this helps to track the quantity.

In this case the inner left page has a brief history of the Millennium Falcon and a note on the coin's design background while the right side has the metallurgical specifications of the coin itself. The base of the solid case has a thin metal strip tucked under the soft lining - the purpose of which will be revealed in three paragraphs.

The coin is enclosed in a circular perspex coin case which is transparent on both sides and around the edges, making the contents fully visible but still well protected from scratches, scuffs and (accidental) spending. The two faces of the case thread together so that the case can be opened and the coin handled.

And on the subject of handling, New Zealand Mint has provided some tips to help you maintain the coin:

• Keep the coin in the case as much as possible
• If you have to handle the coin use the edge and not the face
• Wear kid gloves to prevent skin oils from transferring on to the metal
• If you put it down lay it flat on a soft, clean surface
• Take the coin to a professional to be cleaned

These are basic handling tips so if you are going to make Star Wars coins a bigger part of your collection you could check out NumisMaster.com for some useful articles on numismatology.

The coin case sits in an indented setting which can be removed for further handling. Cunningly, one edge of the inner setting is angled and has a magnetic plate in it. This allows the coin to be set in a display position without the risk of tipping over. This is one of the best features of New Zealand Mint's Millennium Falcon coin.

And finally the coin: the reverse, or tails, face of the coin is pad coated in a thin film of Prussian Blue paint. Anyone who has seen construction plans - or an episode of Mythbusters - will instantly recognise this colour. It, for over a century and a half, has been used to pigment the paper and sheet metal used by architects, builders, engineers and toolmakers and is the colour that puts the blue in blueprints. Etched into this layer is a schematic of the Millennium Falcon's upper structure.

The etched lines are crisp and pop from the Prussian blue but unfortunately due to the busy nature of the Millennium Falcon's hull design it gets hard to differentiate one line from the other. That's not the fault of NZM though. Further, due to the positioning of the ship part of the sublight engines have been cut off and one only annotation, which is impossible to read, has been included in the etching. You'll need to visit New Zealand Mint to find out what part is labelled. It must be said that, all detractions aside, it is a very striking coin.

On the obverse (heads) face is a profile of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that was designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, a British sculptor whose effigy of The Queen appears on all UK and Commonwealth coinage since 1998. As the Millennium Falcon coin is actually legal tender - representing two dollars - in the small South Pacific island state of Niue (pronounced newie) this is a requirement for Commonwealth currency.


And so the question of whether these are worth their US$80 price tag needs to be addressed.

At their current price point they certainly don't match the value of the 1 ounce (0.028 kg) of silver ($18 per kilogram at time of writing) that is in them. A rudimentary understanding of precious metal markets and some basic skills in math indicates that in 55 years the silver content will start to realise the price of the coin. As with any collecting trend, the ultimate value of a piece of Star Wars merchandise isn't necessarily indicated by its starting point. While these decorative coins aren't every numismatist or Star Wars collectors cup of tea there is an intrinsic value them. As pieces of art, which is a personal perspective, they certainly have appeal and the coin's technical depiction of the Millennium Falcon would appeal to both engineers and fans of Han Solo.

If any of these arguments get a tick on your list of pros then you are already on track to make your decision. And if you do decide then all that stands between you and your purchase is a mere flick of the wrist and right click of the finger. If you think that this coin could add a new face (a coin joke, geddit?) to your collection then you might want to read this handy guide that New Zealand Mint have provided.

The next Star Wars Ships coin will be released on 22 March and features a giant dagger-shaped warship that was the backbone of the powerful Imperial Starfleet! Can you guess what it is? Don't phone in - it's just for fun!

If you want to add the Millennium Falcon coin to your collection then head over to New Zealand Mint or keep an eye on Rebelscum.com because we'll be running a giveaway in the not too distant future!