Angel (Manx coin) facts for kids
| Isle of Man | |
| Value | 1 Angel |
|---|---|
| Mass | 31.1 g (1.0 troy oz) |
| Diameter | 32.7 mm (1.28 in) |
| Thickness | 2.8 mm (0.11 in) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Composition | 99.99% Au |
| Years of minting | 1984-present |
| Obverse | |
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| Design | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Design date | 1996 |
| Reverse | |
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| Design | Facing left, Archangel Michael is slaying a dragon |
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| Design | The upright Archangel Michael, facing right version |
Manx Angels are special gold or silver bullion coins. They are made for the Isle of Man by private companies. The Isle of Man is a small island that is not part of the United Kingdom. It is a Crown dependency, which means it can make its own coins.
These coins show a picture of Archangel Michael fighting a dragon. The silver coins are not made every year. They have an irregular schedule. Angels are legal tender, meaning they are official money. However, they do not have a fixed value like a dollar or a pound. Instead, their value comes from how much precious metal they contain. This is similar to coins like the Krugerrand.
Contents
What Are Angel Coins Made Of?
Angel coins are made from very pure metals. Gold coins can have different levels of purity, called fineness. Some gold coins are 91.7% gold (.917 fine). Others are 99.9% gold (.999 fine) or even 99.99% gold (.9999 fine).
Silver coins are also very pure. They are either 99.9% silver (.999 fine) or 99.99% silver (.9999 fine). The weight of these coins is measured in troy ounces for the gold content. The total weight of the coin is measured in grams.
Sizes of Gold and Silver Angels
Angel coins come in many sizes. Gold coins can be as big as 20 troy ounces or as small as 1⁄64 of a troy ounce. The 1-ounce gold coin weighs about 31.1 grams. It is about 32.7 mm wide and 2.8 mm thick.
Silver coins are usually made in a 1-ounce size. A 1-ounce silver coin weighs about 31.1 grams. It is about 38.6 mm wide and 3.0 mm thick.
The Design of Angel Coins
The Angel coin has two main sides: the front (obverse) and the back (reverse).
The Front (Obverse)
The front of the coin shows a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Around her picture, you can read the words Isle of Man and Elizabeth II. Over the years, four different portraits of Queen Elizabeth have been used on these coins.
- The first Angel coin in 1984 showed the Queen in her early 40s.
- From 1985 to 1997, a portrait of the Queen in her 50s was used.
- Between 1998 and 2014, the Queen was shown as a 70-year-old.
- Since 2015, the newest portrait of the Queen has been used.
The Back (Reverse)
The back of the coin shows Archangel Michael fighting a dragon. Below the dragon, you can see small letters that tell you what metal the coin is made of, its size, and its purity.
The design has a detailed border around it. This border looks like a Viking knit pattern. At the very top, above the dragon, you can see the island's special symbol, the triskele. This symbol looks like three legs joined together.
Archangel Michael's Pose
The image of Michael fighting a dragon is common on other coins too. For example, Ukraine has Archangel Michael coins. Russia has Saint George coins, and the United Kingdom's Sovereign gold coins also show Saint George fighting a dragon.
The Angel coin's design of Michael has changed over time:
- From 1984 to 1993, Michael faced left.
- From 1994 to 2007, Michael faced right.
- From 2008 to 2015 (except 2009), Michael still faced right but was in a more upright position.
- Starting in 2016, Michael changed back to facing left. Some left-facing coins were also made in 2014.
- In 2009, the coin had three unique designs that were not used before or since.
History of Angel Coins
The Isle of Man has worked with three different private companies to make their Angel coins. The English Pobjoy Mint made them from 1984 until 2016. After 2016, Liechtenstein's Coin Investment Trust (CIT) and the English Tower Mint started making them.
Some special Angel coins have been made with two different metals, called bimetallic coins.
- In 1995, a quarter-ounce gold coin was made with a platinum ring around the gold center.
- In 2007, a one-ounce gold coin had a silver ring.
- In 2011, a one-ounce coin had a gold ring with a platinum center.
In 2017 and 2018, a two-ounce silver coin was made. Only 999 of these were minted each year. Some silver coins have also had special finishes. The 2015 silver coin had gilding (a thin layer of gold) on the Archangel Michael side. The 2017 silver coin also had gilded highlights.
The smallest gold coins, the 1⁄20-ounce ones, have a different tiny mark each year. This mark is called a privy mark. Each year's privy mark is related to a different day from the song 12 Days of Christmas.
The number of coins made each year (called mintages) changes. Some coins are "proof coins," which are made with extra care for collectors. Other coins are "brilliant uncirculated," meaning they are shiny but not as specially made as proof coins.
See also
- Angel (coin) - the historic English gold coin
- Bullion
- Bullion coin
- Inflation hedge
- Isle of Man's Noble gold and silver coin
