I have always been a big fan of the mythical creature the Kraken. The first time I recall seeing it as a kid was in the movie Clash of the Titans from way back in 1981. I was too young at the time of release to enjoy that kind of film in the theater so I saw it on the good old television. I was amazed by this huge beast that emerges from the depths only to be be defeated by Perseus, turning it into stone using the severed head of Medusa. What a great film! There was a remake back in 2010, although the CGI was better the remake never seems to be quite as good as the original...
Why do I bring up Clash of the Titans? The tropical island nation of Niue has been producing a series of coins called the Mythical Creatures. Last year it was the Siren, but this year they are taking on the Kraken. Over the years many coins with a version of the Kraken have been produced, most have been rather lackluster. But I think Niue didn't do too bad a job on this one! You get a scene of the giant creature is taking down a Viking ship to Davy Jone's locker.
The Kraken was long feared by superstitious sailors over the centuries as it was said to grab entire ships and drag them to the depths of the ocean. Although no such a creature existed, superstition is a very strong motivator in the human psyche. Now back to the coin:
From APMEX.com
About the coin:
From numista.com
These one Troy ounce silver works or art will have a production cap of 5,000, so a somewhat limited mintage. The part I like best is that for once the premium isn't out of control, the asking price is only $94.12. Silver prices are currently at $80.22, so only about $14 over silver spot price. That's a pretty good deal for a legal tender coin! On the reverse (back) of the coin you have the national seal of Niue surrounded by the mythical creatures to come in the series.
This coin is one that will fit into my budget this year, many past production have been too expensive to justify a purchase. But I like this one! I do miss the days of cheap silver though, it's much harder to buy much with the prices as high as they are now. I remember the good old days in the 1990's when silver was under $10!
The Kraken
worldmythos.com
The origin story of the Kraken seems to take place off the coast of Norway in the Norwegian Sea around the 1600's. The story likely was the result of the sighting of a giant squid and mistaken for a ship killing monster that rises from the deep. There have been instances where giant squids have attacked smaller ships resulting in damage in the past, which is likely the genesis our the legend.
Of course, as all legends do, the creature only got bigger and bigger in size and became more monstrous. Over the next centuries it would appear in travel guides and novels. I still remember reading about the monster in Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" when I was in high school. That guy was a great writer! And now Hollywood has embraced the monster for many years, so it's here to stay.
But the next time you take a cruise the last thing you'll have to worry about is the Kraken dragging you to your doom. Hantavirus on the other hand might kill you off, that is one nasty virus. I'm a lot more afraid of it than an sea creature including large sharks! Hopefully this hantavirus outbreak hasn't developed the ability to pass between people, that would be terrifying!
That will wrap up my post for today, I hope you enjoyed the coin and the Kraken information. Although those cruise ships are safe from the Kraken, watch out for that Hantavirus! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below, and as always thank you for all of the support. I really do greatly appreciate it. Have a great weekend everyone!
References:
https://www.apmex.com/product/323882/2026-niue-1-oz-silver-mythical-creatures-the-kraken-bu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraken
Disclaimer
I am not a financial planner and this isn't financial advice. Please always do your own research before investing your money. You worked hard enough to earn it!
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