It’s probably fair to say that we’re in a golden age with regards to the sheer variety and quality in the choice of precious metal bullion coins. Where once they remained the reserve of national governments with their strictly controlled design criteria and lack of evolution, the sheer variety available today is both refreshing and a little overwhelming. While the old stalwarts remain, if you’re looking for something different, chances are it’s available.

Case in point is the inexorable rise of the popular culture commemorative coin market and its inevitable transition to bullion. Apart from the Perth Mint’s USS Enterprise Star Trek silver bullion coin, the field has been pretty empty, but now the New Zealand Mint and Niue have brought the very big guns to the party with their first Disney bullion coin, this time in both silver and gold.

Having been issuing Disney coins for a couple of years now, the NZ Mint has plenty of designs to choose from , but they’ve wisely chosen the most iconic of them to date and the first of the many they’ve produced, Steamboat Willie. First released in April 2014 in proof form, the artwork for this bullion version is greatly simplified and incorporates the radiating lines that make life a bit more difficult for the counterfeiters. There’s no mistaking what it is however and we think this will be a hugely popular coin. Depicting Mickey Mouse holding the wheel of the steamboat, anybody with even a passing knowledge of Walt Disney’s most conic character will recognise the scene.

The obverse is the usual standard Niue one, the radiating lines not having made the transition. Mintage is limited to 250,000 silver and 25,000 gold, both being available only in a one troy ounce format. The silver comes in tubes of 25 and monster boxes of 250. Gold coins come individually encapsulated. Collectors who want just a couple of silver coins should have no trouble finding a dealer selling them individually. Available shortly, this is a fine and different addition to the burgeoning bullion market and perhaps the first of many. Those with a bit more cash might want to check out our AgAuShoot of the stunning proof gold kilo version.

The brilliant Steamboat Willie render above is courtesy of the talented Innactpro