The Austrian Mint introduced its Colourful Creatures series with this month’s release of a coin depicting the fledermaus (bat). The Mint’s first ever €3 collection includes 12 coins that glow in the dark.
Coins of the series will be issued every three months until they are all released. Limited to 50,000 pieces per issue, the scheduled coins and their themed reverse designs include:
- 2017: Tiger, Crocodile, Kingfisher and Wolf
- 2018: Parrot, Shark, Owl and Frog
- 2019: Turtle, Otter and Crayfish
Reverses include the year of issue and the name of the creature honored. The featured motifs are in color and become active at night by glowing in the dark.
Obverses are common to all 12 coins. They depict miniature versions of the 12 creatures along with surrounding inscriptions of REPUBLIC, ÖSTERREICH, and 3 EURO.
Austrian Mint-provided coin specifications include:
| Quality | Special Uncirculated |
| Denomination (EURO) | 3 Euro |
| Weight (g) | 16.00 |
| Diameter (mm) | 34.00 |
| Alloy | Cupro Nickel (CuNi 25) |
Coins of the series are €9.90 each. The Austrian Mint also offers a collector album for €15.40. The cover of the album features a changing image that shows a tiger, owl or shark depending on how it is viewed. Inside are descriptions of the creatures and an area to place the 12 coins.
Visit the Austrian Mint for more information.
