Palladium coin

Soviet-era Palladium coin

Palladium coins are a form of coinage made out of the rare silver-white transition metal palladium. Palladium is internationally recognised as a form of currency under ISO 4217. Sierra Leone issued the first palladium coins in 1966. Tonga commenced issuing palladium coins a year later in 1967, which included the Tonga Palladium Hau. Since then a number of countries have issued palladium coins, including Canada, the Soviet Union, France, Palau, Portugal, Russia, China, United States, Australia and Slovakia. Most of these have been special commemorative coins.

The former USSR, now the Russian Federation, minted the most palladium coins in the world. Some other popular palladium coins minted by other countries are listed below.

A bill authorizing the United States Mint to produce and distribute a one-troy-ounce palladium coin was passed into law on December 14, 2010.

Canadian Big & Little Bear Constellations and Palladium Maple Leaf

These are the lowest mintage coins ever minted by the Royal Canadian Mint, totaling no more than 1200 coins. There are four versions corresponding to four seasons. Actual mintages are 297 springs, 296 summers, 296 autumns, and 293 winters.

The Royal Canadian Mint also minted palladium maple leaves from 2005 to 2007, as well as in 2009. These coins were made of 99.95% pure palladium (.9995 quality), each one containing one troy ounce of pure palladium. They are legal tender in Canada. One of the sides bears a single maple leaf (one of the national symbols of Canada), and the other has the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

See also

• Palladium as an investment
• Precious metal
• Gold coin
• Silver coin
• Platinum coin

References

• Rene Frank: "Catalogue of Palladium Coins 2007", moneytrend, Vienna (Austria) 2006, ISBN 3-9501620-7-0
• René Frank: "Palladium Coin Catalog 2010", Battenberg/Gietl (Germany) 2010, ISBN 978-3-86646-830-6

External links

• List of all palladium coins ever minted