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The treasury of Niue has authorised the release of the first in a new series of rectangular silver and colour coins whose design features the iconic artwork from the front cover of one of the world’s best-loved comic book characters, Superman. Considered by avid collectors as the “Mona Lisa of comic books” due to its rarity and desirability, a copy was recently sold for a record $3.25 million. Known in the industry as “the Rocket Copy,” the cover features a rocket stamp put there by the 13-year-old who purchased the issue from a newsstand the year it was released. The sale was handled by Heritage Auctions for a hammer price of $3.18 plus the buyer’s fee; the price is now the fourth-largest sum ever paid for a comic book.
The coins are produced by the New Zealand Mint at their facilities in Wellington on behalf of the treasury of Niue and are created in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The reverse side includes vivid colour which accurately replicates the cover of Superman’s first comic book issue. In an effort to faithfully replicate the comic book, the coin is crafted into a rectangular shape and includes further colourisation on the four sides to represent the spine and pages. Small flashes of silver have been left on the cover to catch the light. The obverse side of the coin includes the effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II created by British sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley along with the coins’ face value of 2 DOLLARS and year of issue 2022, which are placed beneath the Queen’s likeness. An effect of a page-turning is also incorporated into the design and seen to the lower left.
| Denom. |
Metal |
Weight | Dimensions | Quality |
Mintage Limit |
| Two dollars |
.999 Silver |
31.1 g | 45 x 31.5 mm | Proof with applied colour |
5,000 |
Each coin is specially encapsulated and presented in a black-velvet-lined custom-designed windowed case enabling ease of display and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please click here.
The treasury of Niue will be releasing three more COMIX coins this year within the series, all well-known DC epics.
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