When it comes to investing in silver bullion, no nation is too small to have a footprint in the industry. Through its partnership with the East India Company, the island of St. Helena has issued a number of silver coin collections in recent years, including distinctive rectangular silver coins, with designs relevant to the rich history of this tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean. Take a moment and learn more about silver coins from St. Helena.
Modern St. Helena silver coins bear the reigning British monarch’s portrait on the obverse field. This included many variations of Queen Elizabeth II. With her passing, King Charles III is now seen on the obverse. Coins with an issue date of 2023, and on, will display King Charles III as designed by Glyn Davies.
Among the newer series issued by St. Helena is the Una and the Lion series of Silver Coins. The series debuted in 2020 with a once-iconic coin design that originated in 1839. Seen during the reign of Queen Victoria, this popular design features a twist on the Una and the Lion story, first seen in the Fairie Queene, a poem written by Edmund Spencer in 1590.
The series has released coins annually since the inception of the series, with unique images of Una and the Lion with each release. While the images are new with each release, they always depict at least Una and her trusty companion, the lion.
These coins are also available in gold, and proof strikes.
The Goddesses series debuted in 2022 as a proof strike. These coins are released in a 1 oz, 5 oz, and a 10 oz weight. The series displays female goddesses from the mythologies of Norse and Ancient Greek cultures.
2022 showcased Hera, the wife of Zeus. The 2023 edition featured Eos, the goddess of the dawn. Coins will arrive with a presentation box along with a Certificate of Authenticity.
One of the first collections available from St. Helena and its partnership with the East India Company was the commemorative Trade Dollar Series. This collection of 1 oz silver coins from the East India Company offered a common obverse design with reverse design elements reflecting some of the most popular trade dollars of the mid-to-late 19th century. Included in the series were modern replicas of the historic images from the following trade dollars:
The designs in this series were inspired by actual trade dollar designs used throughout Asia and Southeast Asia to facilitate trade between foreign powers, foreign commercial enterprises, and the markets of China and other regional empires and city-states.
The Spade Guinea Silver Coin series from St. Helena offers a modern take on a design once used on circulation gold coins on the island. The Spade Guinea was a British gold coin used largely in the 17th century. The Gold Guinea was used in commercial transactions throughout the British Empire and its colonies for more than 100 years. The modern silver bullion series issued by the East India Company and St. Helena replicates the famous reverse of the Spade Guinea, a coin issued late in the reign of King George III:
This series of silver bullion coins is available in 1 oz silver and 1/10 oz silver, with the 1 oz silver coin the first option introduced.
One of the newest series from St. Helena is the Queen’s Virtues Series. This six-coin collection offers unique reverse designs replicating allegorical figures found on the Queen Victoria Memorial in London. The figures were included in the design of the memorial following the Queen’s death in 1901 and are meant to reflect virtues that many saw in Queen Victoria herself. The debut coin featured the image of Victory in left-profile relief clutching a palm branch. Upcoming designs include:
The obverse of the coins in this series features the same Raphael Maklouf design. The coins are available in 1 oz silver, 1 oz gold, and 1 oz platinum.
Another of the newest designs from the East India Company is a series of rectangular silver coins. Available in 250 Gram and 10 oz options, these pure silver coins have the look and shape of a traditional silver bar, with the added value of a face value assigned by the Issuing Authority of St. Helena that bestows legal tender status on the products. Regardless of weight, the design of the bars is the same, to include:
The East India Company and St. Helena also partner on more distinctive, limited releases that are only available to mark certain occasions. One of the recent examples of this is the 2021 Napoleon Angel Silver Coin that was issued to mark the 200th anniversary of his death in exile, on the island of St. Helena no less, in 1821. The coin featured an honorary design on the reverse reflective of the angels that guard his tomb in a mausoleum in Paris at Les Invalides.
If you have any questions about silver coins from St. Helena, please feel free to ask. Provident Metals’ customer service is here to assist you at 800-313-3315, online using our live chat, and via our email address. If you have questions about payment methods, please feel free to visit our Payment Policies page for standard information regarding acceptable forms of payment, applicable minimums and maximums, and the availability of any discounts. You can always reach out to our customer service team with further questions.