Scottsdale Mint continues its interesting and varied schedule of limited-run bullion coins with the debut of a new four-coin annual programme issued for the Caribbean island of Barbados. With this and the release of the Cayman Islands Marlin some time ago, it’s clear that Scottsdale have wider plans than just issuing for African nations like Congo and Chad, as with their popular Silverback Gorilla coins.

This coin is quite different from the others to be produced by Scottsdale, eschewing nature for national symbolism. As the name suggests, the most prominent element on the reverse face is a pretty cool looking trident head. The denomination is inscribed below, with a pair of smaller inscriptions to the left and right detailing the composition of the coin. As is increasingly becoming the case with quite a few mints these days, the background carries a detailed pattern rather than a simple flat finish, surrounded by a beaded border. This has the double benefit of looking good and making the coin harder to counterfeit successfully.

The obverse features the beautiful national emblem of Barbados, one highlighting the natural beauty of the region. The date and issuer are inscribed here. The beaded border carries over from the other face although the background has changed to a brushed finish. More variants of this design will appear soon. A five-ounce silver coin will be eagerly awaited we reckon, with gold coins of one-ounce and a fifth-ounce in weight also coming soon. With a mintage capped at 30,000 and a small annual program, this could be a popular release.