For good reasons, this coin is one of my best sellers. With their amazing warm weather and beautiful scenery, Hawaii is a place we all love.

This coin is part of a series of coins issued by the Maui Chamber of Commerce to raise money for educational projects.  It features two leaping dolphins which are common wildlife on the islands.  Here are a few facts about Dolphins that you might not know:

• Dolphins are nocturnal and feed at dawn and dusk.  That makes it the best time of day to see them in the wild.
• Dolphins need to tell themselves when to breathe.  As a result they can never completely fall asleep.  Instead they let 1/2 of the brain sleep at a time.  The other side of the brain stays awake to control the breathing, and they also keep one eye open with it.
• Dolphins don't normally dive deeply, but one dolphin trained by the US Navy holds the record at diving 990 feet.
• Dolphins can swim more than 20 miles per hour for short distances, and can hold their breath 8-10 minutes.  Amazing!
• It is illegal to swim with the dolphins in the wild.  The law mandates that you cannot get within 50 yards of a wild dolphin.  It is however legal to swim with captive dolphins, and many people do.

Fun Fact about Dolphins:
   You might be surprised to learn that Dolphins have a poor sense of smell. They also like to blow bubbles!

European Pond Turtle, Coin from Hungary

This 1985 coin was issued in Hungary as part of a Wildlife Preservation series. These turtles live in ponds, marshes, and wetland areas in southern and central Europe, and northwestern Africa. They are more rare in some countries.

Five interesting facts about these fresh water turtles:

• They live about 50 years in the wild, and their size ranges from 5 to 15 inches.  They are social and live in small groups.
• They eat insects, small fish, tadpoles, etc. They also will eat water vegetation along with it.  
•  Females lay 8-10 eggs, and the eggs incubate for about 90 days. The egg nest is buried in the dirt usually near a body of water.  
• When winter arrives, they don't hibernate.  Fresh water turtles dive down into the muddy waters at the bottom of ponds where the temperature normally doesn't get below 34 degrees F. Their metabolisms slow down, allowing them to survive for months without food and very little oxygen.
• Female European Pond Turtles leave after laying their eggs, they don't stay to raise their young.  The baby turtles hatch fully developed and are independent.  

Coin from Isle of Man, featuring the Siamese Cat

This coin is part of a coin series issued by the Isle of Man from 1988 to 2016.  Each year they featured a different cat breed, and it became popular coins to collect by cat lovers around the world.  The 1992 year featured the Siamese Cat.

There are lots of interesting facts about Siamese cats:

• They were unique to Thailand's temples and Royal Palaces for centuries.  At the time, no commoner was allowed to own one.
• About 100 years ago, the Siamese cat reached the USA.  It was given to the  wife of President Rutherford Hayes.
• Most Siamese cats are born all white, and as they age they develop their darker points on their nose, ears, tails, and paws.
• Siamese cats are considered big talkers. Their loud and low pitch tones are used to talk to their humans, and they are the most vocal of all cat breeds. (I have had Siamese cats and they followed me around the house in constant conversation.  I loved it, but some people might not)
• They don't see well in the dark due to their light blue eyes.

​Fun Fact:
Siamese cats are very intelligent, and with very little training they love to play fetch!  They are regarded as the "dogs" of the cat world.

The coin is from Newfoundland, Canada, and features one of their official dogs, the Newfoundland Dog.  The dogs originated in this area and were initially used as working dogs for fisherman. The Chamber of Commerce issued the coin or "trade dollar" in 1981 for the Corner Brook Silver Jubilee. 

• The dog has a muscular build, large size, thick double coat, webbed paws and excellent swimming skills. They are known for their natural water rescue abilities.
• A Newfoundland dog named Seaman accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition, which took 3 years.
• An unnamed Newfoundland is credited for saving Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815 when rough seas knocked him overboard. The dog jumped into the sea and kept him afloat until he could reach safety.
• And there are many other recorded rescues by these amazing dogs.

This beautiful coin, or Trade Dollar, is part of a series issued by the Maui Chamber of Commerce.  A new design came out each year, and each featured Maui wildlife. This coin was issued in 2013 and could be used for trade at participating merchants for that year.  The series became very popular and collectible so they were normally kept as souvenirs rather than traded in. The program was used to raise funds for local education on the island.

The 2013 coin featured a swordfish, which is found around the world as well as in Hawaii. The fish are very large, usually between 100 and 300 pounds.  They are occasionally found as big as 600 pounds! They live an average of 4-5 years.  They are difficult for fisherman to find since they tend to be found at depths of 1,400 to 1,600 feet in the ocean.  Fishing for them is allowed, but it is no longer recommended to eat them since they often have very high levels of mercury.

Interesting Fact:  
These fish are big, strong, and with their spear can be dangerous.  There is no record of anyone being killed by one but it isn't uncommon for them to pierce a boat with their "sword" and damage or sink it!

This dainty coin from Great Britain has a lot of history.  Most of us have heard of the wedding tradition of something blue, etc.
Some of us may not have heard the last line of the rhyme about a sixpence.  This tradition is from the Victorian era, and over time the last line is often left off.

Here is a breakdown of what the rhyme represents:
Something old was significant in the Victoria era as protection for future children the couple might have.  or Continuity.
Something new represented optimism for the future.
Something borrowed  was to bring the couple good luck.  Often it was something of sentimental value gifted from older relatives.
Something blue stands for love, purity and fidelity, which were considered the 3 key elements for a solid marriage.
The sixpence represents prosperity for the couple. 

The sixpence is no longer used as currency in Great Britain since they changed to the Euro. The first sixpence was minted in 1837. This particular design for the coin was issued in 1952 to 1980.  It features the national plants which include the Wales leek, the Scotland thistle, the Ireland shamrock, and the rose of England. Fortunately, these coins are still available through coin collectors, and I am able to paint them.

Ann
PS - I was delighted to make this coin into cufflinks for my son, and a pendant for my daughter-in-law at their wedding!

 I love exploring the world using coins, and have for a long time.  This coin from Peru is no exception.  Llamas are synonymous with Peruvian culture. Sometimes the Llama and Alpaca are confused by people.  The Llama is taller, about 4 feet at their shoulder, has coarser wool, and have long faces and ears.

Here are 7 interesting facts about Llamas:

• Llamas are native to South America and originate from animals called guanacos, which are relatives of the camel.
• Just like camels, the Llama has 3 stomachs.
• They have a typical life expectancy of 15-25 years, but can live up to 35 years.
• They are a good guard animals for both sheep and goat herds.  They are social, but will spit when they get agitated.
• They communicate by making humming noises or a loud alarm call for danger.
• Many llamas have been exported to the USA and Canada.  They are used as pets, as well as therapy animals for hospitals and nursing homes.
• Their metabolism is very similar to a diabetic person, so they are being used to research diabetes.

Fun Fact:  
Llama poop doesn't smell and was burned by the Incans for fuel.

PS: I also wanted to share a link to an amazing YouTube video where you can take a virtual walking tour in 3D of the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu in Peru. To hike there via the Inca Trail, you will reach elevations of over 13,000 ft.  The ruins are lower at just under 8,000 feet elevation.

I really enjoyed researching the Gray Wolf, which is the animal on this Canadian coin. Canada happens to have the 2nd largest gray wolf population in the world, after Russia.   There are an estimated 60,000 wolves throughout most areas of Canada, and their population is stable or increasing.  There are concerns, of course, for the future as rural areas keep shrinking.

The Gray Wolf is the largest predator to survive the end of the last ice age about 11,000 years ago. A recent scientific study determined that they survived because they were able to adapt their diet in a short period of time with the climate changes.  They now mostly hunt moose and caribou.

At an interview of experts at the Calgary Zoo, they said the most impressive trait that the wolves show is teamwork.  They are intelligent and social animals that use teamwork to raise their young.  Most wolf packs are actually family units with the parents and their offspring creating packs.  It also takes a lot of teamwork for them to hunt animals, such as moose, that are much larger than they are.  They use unique sounds to communicate with each other, including the howl represented in this coins design.

Interesting Fact:  You can observe the wolf's status in their pack by the height they hold their tail.  The higher the tail, the higher their status!

Exploring the World Through Coins
...and NOW the Coin Story!

Last week I shared my reasons for this coin being special to me as an artist.  This week I would like to share it's Coin Story.  I have enjoyed discovering the world through coins for over 20 years, especially since they often reflect things important to that country.

"With staggering mountain ranges, spluttering volcanoes, talc-white beaches sheltered by rainforest, and hundreds of tribes, languages and cultures, it's fair to say this island country is one of the most unique places on Earth."

Interesting Facts about Papua New Guinea

• There are 839 known languages in Papua New Guinea.  Most languages are spoken by less than 1,000 people.
• Papua New Guinea has more than 20,000 plant species, 800 species of coral, 600 species of fish, and 750 species of birds. The country is believed to be the home of many undocumented species of plants and animals.
• Papua New Guinea shares similar unique animals with Australia, including kangaroos.
• There are several active volcanoes, and eruptions are frequent.  There is also a lot of earthquake activity. They are one of the few countries near the equator that experience snowfall.
• The majority of people in Papua New Guinea live in rural areas, and a large number of them are illiterate. Less than 4% of the population live in Urban areas.
• Papua New Guinea has both Saltwater and Freshwater Crocodiles, both with large populations.  
• This coin has two crocodiles on the design, one Freshwater, and one Saltwater Crocodile.

--Ann

Intetesting Fact:  
Yikes! Travel Safety for Papua New Guinea advises:
"Crocodiles live in rivers and coastal estuaries in Papua New Guinea, often changing habitat via sea. When travelling near crocodile habitats, don’t swim in rivers, estuaries, deep pools or mangrove shores. Also seek expert local advice about crocodiles before camping, fishing, diving or boating."

This coin from Papua New Guinea holds many firsts for me as an artist.  I started painting coins in 2009, and when I finished one of these crocodile coins, I felt I was ready to start selling.

I had wanted to paint coins after 15 years of collecting coins. I had seen one once, and was interested in finding out more.  When I researched it, I couldn't find any information on how to do it.  I had already been painting silk scarves and selling them, so I knew my way around the art supply store.  Everyday for almost 3 months, I returned to the store to buy another product, trying to figure it all out. I was obviously obsessed!  Eventually I got the look I wanted by blending a variety of art supply items.  Each color had it's own recipe, with some colors easy to obtain and some taking longer.

Another first for me was the soft turquoise color.  It still is the most popular color with my customers, and is basically my "neutral color" that goes with everything.

As you can imagine, I was thrilled to put my coin jewelry online and to see the reaction to it.  Much to my surprise, I received an email from a man in Australia who also painted coins.  He welcomed me to the art, and told me I was the 6th person in the world to be a part of it.  Well, that explained why I couldn't find any information about this obviously rare type of art.  I was grateful to have an answer and I have continued to enjoy painting and discovering new coins with great designs.

--Ann