Trapped – Escape
Cook Islands. 5 Dollars 2023. Silver .999. 1 oz. 38.61 mm. Antique finish. Mintage: 999 pieces. Special technology: smartminting® (High Relief). Minted by B. H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt, Munich.
Description of the Coin
One side depicts a ripped cloth, revealing the view into a vault. In the background an empty chair, on the floor an undone fetter. In the foreground an androgynous vampire to the left, screaming in anger. On the outer edge the incuse legend TRAPPED and 2023.
The other side features the portrait of Elizabeth II, below IRB (= Ian Rank-Broadley), around it the legend ELIZABETH II COOK ISLANDS 5 DOLLARS.
Background
In 2019, the first issue of CIT’s successful Trapped series was released. Even long-time collectors and museum curators were fascinated by this enigmatic coin’s aesthetics. At the time, no one could have imagined how innovative this series was to become, as CIT created the first numismatic picture story with the next four issues, the last of which – Escape – will be released in 2023. Following the tradition of comic strips, the Trapped series uses five motifs to tell the story of the fate of the human whose fearfully distorted face was depicted on the first Trapped issue. With the last coin, Escape, it becomes obvious that the prisoner has escaped his tormentor.
CIT has thus completely redefined the concept of a numismatic series. Until now, a “series” consisted of depictions that belonged to a common theme – animals, mountains, personalities. With Trapped, CIT added a chronological element to this concept: the coin motifs must be arranged in a certain order so that the viewer’s imagination can unravel the story around it.
In the shadow of this conceptual innovation, the outstanding craftsmanship behind Trapped goes almost unnoticed. The fine gauze-like surface, under which the action unfolds in the form of mere shapes, could only be achieved in this perfection thanks to state-of-the-art smartminting technology. Just a few years ago, a series such as Trapped would have been impossible from the technical point of view.
Further Information
www.cit.li/coins/trapped-escape
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CoinWeek Podcast #155: Ultra-Modern Coins Take Over
Mobile phone users. Stream this podcast for free by downloading the podomatic app or subscribe to the CoinWeek Podcast on iTunes.
In this episode of the CoinWeek Podcast, we have a lively, interesting, and provocative conversation with Chang Bullock and Orlando Lorenzana of CIT, where we talk about how ultra-modern coins (or postmodern coins, as we call them) have taken over the contemporary coin market and how CIT’s innovations in color and coin minting technology are changing the game for private and sovereign mints.
You cannot walk away from this podcast without learning something about the way minting has changed–and has always been changing throughout the course of monetary history–and we hope it will give you a clearer picture of where we are heading.
