The recently released Antigua & Barbuda Rum Runner range was the first in Scottsdale Mint’s new EC8 bullion and proof coin program and now it’s time for the second of the eight issues to have its time in the limelight. This second set is issued for the islands of Saint Kitts & Nevis (SKN), so that leaves Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines yet to come.

In most cases these will be the first gold and silver bullion coins ever issued for these countries, so just in that regard alone, these are worthy of great interest. Each of the eight nations will have a unique design (see video below) and in this case it’s the national bird of SKN, the Brown Pelican. It’s an unusual bird and Scottsdale have done a good job showing it in flight above a small flotilla of pleasure craft. The obverse is, as we suspected with the first coin, a common one for the series, thus helping to tie them all together and allowing the reverse face designs greater design leeway without compromising a familial connection.

As before, the bullion coin comes as a 1oz 0.999 silver (25,000 mintage) and a 1oz 0.9999 gold (2,500) variants. There are also proof commemorative versions with similar weights but with coloured highlights and these are supplied in a white coin box with a certificate of authenticity. The bullion variants ship in capsules on customized Scottsdale Mint branded skin boards of five, although dealers will sell them individually. The Gold “Pelican” BU coins will ship in Scottsdale Mint’s Certi-Lock® packaging.

With six more issues to come this year this will grow into an unique range of bullion coins. Next to be issued will be the coin for Dominica and that should appear next month and you can see an image of it in the video below. The Pelican should be available worldwide from today, although APMEX has exclusive US rights until the 28th June.