Weekly World Mint Coinage: August 27, 2026

Netherlands - Royal Dutch Mint

Classic Silver Proof Ducats Continue with Dutch City Gate Series

The latest ducat coin in the Dutch City Gate series features one of the country’s oldest fortified gates with an extraordinary history. As the ninth coin in the series which began at the end of 2023, the design focuses on the city of 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) the capital city of the province of North Brabant, and the medieval Gate of Pieckepoort. The gate, originally called Vughterpoort, was first mentioned in 1399. Pieckepoort means gate of peaks as it was built with seven slender peaks.

 The Gate was severely damaged in 1629 when the Dutch Republican Army attacked the southeast side of the city, and the Pieckepoort Gate was its primary target. It wasn’t until 1729 when parts of the gate were reconstructed, but the impressive towers the building was well-known for were torn permanently down and the seven peaks that once gave name to the gate, never came back. The entire structure was demolished in its entirety around 1890 and it wasn’t until 2016 that an archaeological public excavation uncovered its remains.

The obverse of the Silver ducat Pieckepoort coin depicts Duke Karel van Egmond (1467 – 1538) in front of a computerised reconstruction of the famous structure along with the provincial crest of North Brabant which can be seen on his shield. The legend surrounding the image reads MO.NO.ARG.REG.BELGII.BRAB SEP which is abbreviated in Latin for New Silver coin of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, BRAB SEP representing the province of North Brabant. On the reverse of the Silver Ducat is the national crest of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the Royal Crown placed between the two numerals of the year 2026. The inscription reads CONCORDIA RES PARVAE CRESCUNT, translated as Unity makes Strength which is placed around the crest along the rim. The mintmaster’s privy mark is placed just under the first two numerals of the year and the mintmark of the Royal Dutch Mint is shown just under the second two numerals.

Each Proof coin is encapsulated and presented in a metal round two-piece case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, visit the e-webshop of the Royal Dutch Mint. When complete, the series will include a total of 12 coins featuring city gates across all 12 Dutch provinces.

South Africa - South African Mint

The Surveying Cheetah Launches Gold and Silver Bullion Proof Series

 The African Range, unveiled during the World Money Fair in Berlin, is the South African Mint’s first-ever high relief Proof quality bullion coin series.

The concept and precision production features elevated designs that create exceptional depth, detail and a powerful sculptural presence. This inaugural edition showcases the cheetah – an iconic African predator known for its speed, focus and precision. The series follows the five key stages of a cheetah’s hunt beginning with survey, stalk, chase, catch and repose. Each year highlights one stage, with this first edition capturing the moment of ‘Survey’.

Designed by internationally renowned South African artist Dylan Lewis, the reverse shared on both gold and silver strikes features a cheetah in a poised surveying stance on the high point of a tree branch, the moment of focused observation before the hunt begins. Near the lower left rim is the coins’ denomination RAND along with the text and numerical value ranging from TEN to 1000. Towards the lower right rim is the name of the series THE AFRICAN RANGE along with each coin’s specifications shown in weight and metal fineness. The common obverse presents a striking bust of the cheetah inspired by Lewis’s sculpture entitled Cheetah Head and centred. The design is completed along the year of issue 20 and 26 shown in two digits to the left and right of the cheetah’s image and the issuing country’s name shown in two languages SOUTH AFRICA above the primary design and ININGIZIMU AFRIKA placed below. Every detail is precisely captured, resulting in coins that showcase exceptional quality, refined beauty and world-class craftsmanship. The series is expected to complete in 2029 or 2030.

Each proof quality coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom case, accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, visit the webpage of the South African Mint to find your nearest distributor.

Vatican City - Vatican Mint

BU Mint Sets First to Feature Effigy of New Pope Leo XIV

Leo XIV's path to the papacy is one of the shortest tenures from cardinal to supreme pontiff. He was created a cardinal by Pope Francis on the 30th September 2023, and became Pope Leo XIV on the 8th May 2025, serving as a cardinal for just 1 year, 7 months, and 8 days. Robert Francis Prevost was born on the 14th September 1955 in Chicago, United States and became the first American-born pope in church history. Prevost was elected by surpassing the required two-thirds majority with at least 89 votes needed from the College of Cardinals.

In 2017, Pope Francis expressed a preference that his effigy should no longer be included on the obverse of circulation-type and commemorative coinage. From that time on, only the papal coat of arms was depicted on the national sides of all euro circulation coins. Since the accession of Leo XIV, the one-, two- and five-cent denominations carry the new Pope's coat of arms.

The effigy of Leo XIV as head of state of Vatican City combines the papal portrait with personal heraldic elements from his religious and biographical background. All denominations from 10 cents upward feature a new effigy of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV facing to the right and designed by artisan Daniela Longo. Alongside his likeness, the design also includes an image of a lily and the flaming heart from his papal coat of arms. The lily symbolises purity and devotion to the Virgin Mary. The heart, pierced by an arrow above an open book, refers to Augustinian spirituality and also represents the power of the Word of God. The country name CITTÀ DEL VATICANO represents the issuing authority.

The circulation type coins are produced by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato Italiano – IPZS at their facilities in Rome on behalf of the Treasury department of the Vatican City State. This year’s extended 9-coin BU set includes a commemorative 5 euro coin which obverses the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. Designed by Daniela Fusco, the 16-sided bi-metallic coin depicts a scene from 1205 depicting St Francis’ renunciation of earthly goods which was the inspiration for his conversion and a manifestation of Franciscan spirituality and the abandonment of all earthly wealth, detachment from the past, and complete trust in God. Along the left rim is the text CITTA´ DEL VATICANO and along the right, SAN FRANCESCO D'ASSISI. Within the centre disc to the right of the primary design are the commemorative years 1226 2026 and below the depiction is the denomination 5 EURO. The obverse features a commemorative effigy of HH Pope Leo XIV facing to the left and dressed in formal vestments and centred. Surrounding the image is the legend LEONE XIV PP. ANNO II MMXXVI denoting the second of his papacy.

At present, the Vatican's new standard circulation coin set is available in brilliant uncirculated (BU) quality and offered in two separate sets. The standard set contains all eight circulation coins, with a mintage of 43,774 sets. The extended set includes all circulating denominations and the commemorative 5-euro coin and is limited to 6,226 sets totaling the current mintage of the new 2-euro coin to 50,000 pieces. Each set of coins is presented in a plastic-free folder and accompanied with a custom slip case. A Proof quality coin set is expected to follow at a later date. For additional information, visit the e-webshop of the Ufficio per la Commercializzazione Filatelica e Numismatica.