By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
If last year’s 75th anniversary celebration by the Royal Canadian Mint of Superman as an iconic hero where one of his creators hailed from Canada is not enough, then this year’s unveiling of four new coins proves that even up north, we still love him like he is our own son. After all, Krypton is gone, America is his adopted home, and the world is his oyster. Just what else can he do?
Apparently the folks at the Mint decided to continue his legacy! The new coins are using art to promote the years he was best recognized: 1938 (when he first appeared), 1972 (to honour Action Comics #419), 2001 (as an acknowledgement of The Adventures of Superman #596 issue, printed that year) and 2012 (in recognition of the new 52 universe). Depending on when a new reader discovered Superman, he or she may opt for a single coin to display on the mantle to show when that person’s age of discovery began. Several decades are missed, but so what? The comic book covers chosen are meant to highlight a part of Supe’s legacy.
And thankfully, the Mint is not making the same mistake that DC Comics blundered into in 1992 by the over-printing of a product, resulting in the decline of comic book speculating. There’s hardly any redeemable value to any of the the bagged editions of Superman #75.
Three of the new coins are minted in silver, with face values of $10, $15 and $20 and the fourth in gold with a face value of $100. The mint is only producing 10,000 of each silver coin, and the gold coin is limited to a run of 2,000 world-wide.
Just like last year, comic and coin collectors will have to seek out the Man of Steel fast before his memorabilia flies away! The love for collectible products may not continue for another year … or can it with a film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on the way?
