Okay, I’m going to admit up front to having a soft-spot for this quite mad series. Rampaging across TV screens in the late 1960’s for a total of 120 episodes, there probably hadn’t been a cast asked to say lines like these since acting began, but they all took it in their strides to produce a fun, escapist body of classic television that remains beloved today.

Headlined by Adam West, with Burt Ward as the Boy Wonder, the adventures were packed with a gallery of villains like no other. Cesare Romero’s Joker was a classic, as was Burgess Meredith’s portrayal of the waddling Penguin. A great subject for a coin series – much more characterful than the latest rounds of superhero movies.

Two issues kick off the series. Batman – obviously – and The Penguin. These are not ambitious coins, choosing to stick with the tried and tested proof 1oz coloured silver format that is so popular, especially with their attraction to the memorabilia market as well as traditional coin collectors. Both are well composed and attractive pieces that allow the mad fun of the subject to show through. These are issued for Niue via the NZ Mint, so sadly, the obverse is an effigy of famed Bat-villain Queen Elizabeth II, and little more.

Packaging is as neat as you would expect from this mint. Our love of the acrylic block frame is well known and the shipper box is colourfully themed, so if you’re giving one as a gift to a fan, they’re going to love to display it. Mintages are smaller than usual from the NZ Mint, going with an appropriate 1,966 pieces of each. NZ Mint issues usually ship on the day the press embargo lifts, but in this case coins won’t be shipping until 9th December, and at a price of $85.00 USD each, although plenty of our sponsors also sell these. We’re looking forward to the next issues so keep an eye out here for updates – until then, same Bat time, same Bat AgAuNEWS…!