The lunar bullion coin market continues to expand with a new entry from a producer that has increased its presence in this market over the last couple of years – the New Zealand Mint. Standard ranges like the Niue Turtle and the regular lunars have been added to with a range of licenced coins, most notably a beautiful Darth Vader piece and one featuring Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie. It’s the latter that has been chosen to combine genres, taking the ever-popular Disney franchise and infusing it into the perennial lunar market.

Essentially a bullion version of the recent Disney Lunar proof coin, it depicts Mickey Mouse in front of a stylised dog with the Chinese character for dog in the background. The mint has rightly removed the colour highlight for the bullion release and we’re also seeing a gold version to run alongside it. The obverse of this Niue Island issued coin features the obligatory effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank Broadley.

Each of the two coins is an ounce in weight and will be sold as a bullion coin with a spot-plus premium like any other. The silver has a mintage capped at 250,000 and is sold in tubes of 25 or monster boxes of 250, although picking up small quantities through one of the numerous dealers that will likely stock them should be no problem. The gold is limited to 25,000 pieces and are sold individually, as well as in rolls of ten. An interesting coin and one that should have appeal, especially in a lunar market.