The Singapore Mint doesn’t release a large number of coins each year, but those they do produce are of a high quality and often have innovative packaging. This particular series, Native Orchids of Singapore, started back in 2011 and they were among the first to use the latex Nimbus frames to display the coins, something becoming more popular today. Now the series is on it’s fourth annual release and as before there are several ways to purchase them.

Released in batches of two coins per year, they’re described as a series “that celebrates the beauty of over 200 species of orchids that once thrived in Singapore, some of which are still found in our forests today”. Clearly, there won’t be a shortage of subjects anytime soon, at this rate for a century! They’re certainly pretty coins, well struck, and with the part ‘semi-rimless’ design having the artwork selectively pass over the rim and reach the very edge, have an almost three-dimensional quality to them. Available to purchase now, they start to ship on the 23 July.

The coins can be bought as a two-piece set in a rectangular latex ‘floating’ frame that’s been customised with a texture and with the name of the series highlighted in silver foil. Inside the frame and surrounding the coins is an insert carrying a simple countryside image of grass, insects and flowers. The whole is quite effective and 3,000 sets will be available.

The coin obverse bears the Singapore Arms with the year 2014. Each set comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Also carrying on from last year, the Singapore Mint has specially selected 500 of each of the two coins and had them slabbed in a similar way to that used by NGC and PCGS. The mint describes each coin as being chosen for “its superior proof quality standard”, so fairly safe to assume they’re ballpark with a 70-grade at the two big grading services. These are sold on a ballot scheme and tend to go quickly.

The two subjects for 2014 are:

• PHALAENOPSIS CORNU-CERVI is characterised by its star-shaped flowers, which are yellow with specks of deep maroon on them. The flowers measure about 3cm to 4cm in diameter and usually last for a long period of time. The Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi usually grows on trees in exposed lowland areas and can be found in many parts of South-East Asia.
• COELOGYNE ROCHUSSENII has pale yellowish-green flowers, with the sidelobes of its white lip containing brown pigments. The lemon-scented flowers measure about 5cm in diameter. Each hanging flower spray can reach 70cm long with more than 30 flowers. Its flowers usually bloom in the morning and close partially in the evening.