Biblical Silver

Scottsdale Mint's Decade-Long Biblical Coin Programme

The Biblical series from Scottsdale Mint is one of the most ambitious thematic coin programmes in the modern bullion market. Running from 2015 to 2024, it produced 60 coins over ten years, with six new designs released annually. Each coin contains 2 troy ounces of .999 fine silver, struck as legal tender of Niue at a $2 NZD face value, and finished with an antiqued high-relief treatment that gives the pieces the look of archaeological artefacts rather than modern coins.

Every reverse design in the series is adapted from the wood engravings of Paul Gustave Dore (1832-1883), the French artist whose illustrated Bible of 1866-1870 produced 241 scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The sculptor D'Almeda Novissimo translated Dore's flat engravings into three-dimensional high-relief coin designs, a technically demanding process that required converting two-dimensional illustrations into sculptural form. The rimless blank adds to the antiquarian aesthetic: there is no raised border, giving each coin the appearance of a classical medallion.

The 2 oz silver Biblical coin is the core product in the series, with each design limited to 1,499 pieces. A 5 oz silver Biblical coin was also produced for some designs at even lower mintages. With 60 designs at 1,499 pieces each, the complete 2 oz set represents just 89,940 coins across the entire decade, a tiny production volume by bullion standards.

These are collector-bullion crossover pieces, not stacking products. The 1,499 mintage per design, antiqued proof-quality finish, and thematic collectibility mean premiums sit well above melt value. Early-year issues from 2015 and 2016 have become scarce on the secondary market. A collector who purchased all 60 coins would hold 120 troy ounces of silver across the complete set, packaged in optional leather albums designed to resemble bound Bibles.

Biblical Series Technical Details

Each coin is individually serial-numbered on the edge and ships with a certificate of authenticity. Coins are packaged in individual cardboard presentation boxes, with an optional six-coin leather album available for each year's set. The high-relief strike creates a pronounced three-dimensional surface that captures the detail of Dore's original engravings, from fabric folds to facial expressions.

The series maintained the Raphael Maklouf portrait of Queen Elizabeth II throughout its entire ten-year run, even after most Commonwealth coins transitioned to a King Charles III effigy following the Queen's death in 2022. This consistency means the obverse design is uniform across all 60 coins, which simplifies set collecting. The 5 oz variants share the same design imagery at a larger diameter with even lower mintages.

Tax Treatment for Niue-Denominated Silver Coins

The Biblical series coins are legal tender of Niue at $2 NZD face value. Their tax treatment varies by jurisdiction, influenced by both the legal tender status and the silver content.

In the United Kingdom, silver coins from Niue are not UK legal tender and therefore attract 20% VAT on purchase. Pre-owned examples may be available under the margin scheme from some dealers, reducing the effective VAT to the dealer's margin only. There is no CGT exemption, as that benefit is reserved for UK legal tender coins such as the Britannia and Sovereign.

In the United States, the coins are treated as precious metals for sales tax purposes, with exemptions varying by state. The collector positioning and limited mintage complicate IRA eligibility. Buyers should confirm with their custodian before purchasing for retirement accounts, as the 1,499 mintage and premium pricing above spot may lead custodians to classify these as collectibles rather than investment bullion.

Canada exempts silver bullion at .999+ purity from GST/HST. The Biblical coins at .999 meet this threshold. Capital gains on sale are taxed at the standard 50% inclusion rate.

Australia requires .999+ purity for GST exemption on silver, which the Biblical coins meet. New Zealand has a particular connection to the series, as Niue is in free association with New Zealand and uses the NZD. Fine silver at .999+ purity is GST-exempt in NZ. Singapore exempts qualifying silver coins that are or were legal tender from the 9% GST under its Investment Precious Metals scheme. Hong Kong imposes no sales tax on silver bullion in any form.

From Dore's Engravings to Modern Coinage

Gustave Dore was among the most prolific artists of 19th-century France. Born in Strasbourg in 1832, he was a largely self-taught prodigy who published his first lithograph at age 15. By his twenties, he was the highest-paid illustrator in France. His Biblical illustrations, created between 1866 and 1870 for La Grande Bible de Tours, became his most enduring work: 241 wood engravings depicting scenes from Genesis through Revelation, rendered in the dramatic chiaroscuro style that defined his output.

Dore's engravings have been reproduced continuously since their creation, appearing in family Bibles, church publications, and art books for over 150 years. Their selection as source material for this coin series is both an artistic and a practical choice. The dramatic compositions, with their interplay of light and shadow, translate well to the relief medium of coinage. The public domain status of the work, Dore having died in 1883, eliminates licensing constraints.

The adaptation from engraving to coin was handled by sculptor D'Almeda Novissimo, who faced the challenge of converting flat, two-dimensional illustrations into three-dimensional relief suitable for striking. The high-relief technique used on these coins allows for greater depth than standard bullion strikes, preserving more of the original compositions' detail. The antique finish, applied chemically after striking, fills the recessed areas with a dark patina that mimics the aged appearance of bronze artefacts.

Scottsdale Mint, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a private mint that has built a reputation for high-quality thematic coin programmes. The Biblical series is their most sustained production effort, running a full decade without interruption. The partnership with Niue, a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, provides the legal tender status that distinguishes these from private mint rounds. Niue has become one of the most prolific coin-issuing sovereignties relative to its population (approximately 1,600 residents), licensing its currency for programmes from multiple mints worldwide.

Biblical Series vs Other Thematic Silver Collectible Coins

The Biblical series has few direct comparisons in the market, but several other programmes share elements of its format or positioning.

Scottsdale Mint's own Egyptian Relic series uses the same general approach: antiqued high-relief silver coins with historical or mythological themes, struck for a small sovereign issuer. The Egyptian coins are 2 oz at .999 purity with comparable mintages. Collectors drawn to the Biblical series often collect the Egyptian range as well, and Scottsdale applies the same production quality to both. The key difference is scope: 60 coins over ten years for the Biblical series versus a smaller set for the Egyptian programme.

The Perth Mint Gods of Olympus series offers mythological-themed silver at higher mintages and in a standard BU finish rather than antique. Perth Mint coins trade closer to bullion premiums than the Biblical coins and have stronger secondary market liquidity through the Perth Mint's global dealer network. For buyers who want thematic silver they can sell back easily at competitive spreads, Perth Mint products have a significant practical advantage.

The Somalian Elephant (Bavarian State Mint) provides an annual-design collectible coin with unlimited mintage and bullion-adjacent pricing. It changes design yearly and is widely stocked. The Biblical series offers dramatically lower mintages and more elaborate finishing, but at premiums that reflect that positioning.

Among religion-themed bullion, the Biblical series stands alone in its scale. Other mints have produced individual religious coins, but no series matches the 60-coin, decade-long commitment. The combination of Dore's universally recognised engravings, the antiqued high-relief striking, rimless blanks, and edge serialisation creates a product with few parallels. The trade-off is clear: buyers pay well above bullion rates and accept limited resale liquidity in exchange for artistic and collectible value that generic silver does not offer.