BBC Worldwide Australasia and New Zealand Mint are issuing a legal tender coin (well, legal tender in New Zealand), and a series of collectible coins as a celebration of Doctor Who ’s 50 th Anniversary .
New Zealand Mint will launch a one-ounce silver 0.999 coin which features an engraved picture of the iconic TARDIS, as well as a unique 50 th Anniversary logo. The coin comes packaged in a 3D model replica of the TARDIS, which opens with the iconic TARDIS “Vwarp Vwarp” sound. The coins themselves are issued by New Zealand Mint as legal tender, under the authority of the South Pacific Island nation Niue, making them a must-have item for fans to collect.
Later in the year New Zealand Mint will also release collectible coins featuring all 11 doctors, from the first doctor played by William Hartnell, to the current incarnation, Matt Smith. Further Doctor Who coin releases are also planned for 2014 and 2015.
“ We are thrilled to be partnering with New Zealand Mint on this global deal. It is an historic year for the Doctor Who brand, and we are pleased to be able to bring this unique product to Doctor Who fans and coin collectors alike,” said Rachael Hammond, BBC Worldwide’s Senior Licensing Executive, Consumer Products.
Said Simon Harding, NZ Mint Chief Executive: “I grew up watching Doctor Who as a child in New Zealand which, coincidentally, was the first country outside the UK to screen the show. It’s a great honour to now be asked to produce these coins to celebrate the 50 th anniversary. Fans are going to really like what we’ve come up with.”
The coins will officially launch at the World Money Fair in Berlin on 1 February and will be available for pre-order at the New Zealand Mint website www.newzealandmint.com from 24 January or via selected international coin distributors.
