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Hologram Crop Circle Coin

By Dan Lewis | Wed, 10 Jan 2007

A hologram coin from Northern Mariana Islands $5 coin pays tribute to the mystery of crop circles.

If you peruse the Standard Catalog? of World Coins, you?ll notice the many non-circulating legal-tender (NCLT) coins produced by countries around the globe. By definition, an NCLT coin is released by a recognized body with the authority to issue money, but is not intended for general use as a medium of exchange. Popular examples include coins contained in U.S. mint and proof sets; silver, gold and platinum American Eagle bullion coins; and commemoratives such as the 2006 San Francisco Old Mint silver $1 and gold $5. If you find it difficult to distinguish between circulating coins and NCLTs, just remember that the latter are ?not meant to be spent.?

The wonderful thing about non-circulating, legal-tender coins is their affordability and great variety. While circulating coinage generally features images of contemporary figures or events, NCLTs depict a virtually limitless number of subjects: cats, dogs, ships, trains, planes, motorcycles, musical instruments, historical figures, events and sports, to name but a few. In this inaugural column, I?d like to introduce you to a $5 coin issued in 2005 by the Northern Mariana Islands (a commonwealth in the western Pacific Ocean in political union with the United States) to commemorate one of the world?s great mysteries: crop circles!

Crop circles are geometrical formations created by flattening areas in fields of wheat, barley, corn and other plantings. The phenomenon became widely known in the late 1980s, when the media reported occurrences in England. Despite that a third are thought to be man-made, crop circles and their mysterious, energetic designs continue to amaze. True crop circles, often imbued with unexplainable, electromagnetic qualities that are scientifically measurable, have been recorded and verified in hundreds of instances. Generally believed to be a 20th-century phenomena, they were reported as early as the 17th century, and some authorities suggest that crop circles are depicted in prehistoric stone carvings.

The Northern Mariana Islands hologram coin, part of the commonwealth?s ?Mysteries of the World? series, is a beautiful example of the minter?s craft. Struck in .925 fine silver,with a limited mintage of 1,200, this 25g coin was an instant hit among collectors. A hologram on the obverse captures the enigmatic nature of crop circles, revealing a rainbow of colors as the coin is rotated. The piece is housed in a mint-issued, wooden display case and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, known in NCLT parlance as a ?COA.?

I?ll be back in March with another installment of ?Non-Circulating Legal Tender.? Meanwhile, take time to explore the world of NCLTs and their messages of history and wonder. This unique hologram coin is available in our store.