We’re seeing some outstanding mythology coins released on the market of late, but surprisingly, very few have a Far Eastern theme. Sure, there are plenty of dragon coins, but very little that dips into the rich pantheon of deities that populated early thought amongst these ancient civilisations. Singapore based SK Bullion are looking to change that with the release of Erlang Shen, a coin depicting the legendary three-eyed god of Chinese legend.

The specification fits in perfectly with the genre norm – two ounces of fine silver struck to a high-relief, antique-finished and with some selective highlighting, in this case gilding. The reverse face depicts Erlang Shen with his celestial hound beside him. The background is packed with Chinese architecture. The lance and his cloak are gilded, which should stand out well against a dark background. A neat border surrounds the dynamic artwork.

Issued for Niue and carrying a $5 NZD denomination, the obverse thus carries the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. Presentation looks neat. A gloss black coin box with a certificate of authenticity sits inside a coloured and themed shipper. The mintage is set at just 500 pieces and we’d imagine a large proportion of these will go to the Chinese market where the character has greatest resonance.

It’s good to see characters like these break into what has been a quite Euro-centric genre and this looks to be a good first effort from SK Bullion. With the current popularity of the Chiwoo Cheonwang series of bullion rounds, it’s clear there’s a brisk appetite for Far Eastern deity coins and this goes some way to satisying the higher end of the market. Price should be just shy of $200 at launch, and it should be available to order shortly.