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Wild Botanical One Ounce Silver Coins

Category:  Thematic & Topical Coins
Owner:  silvervet
Last Modified:  3/3/2023
Set Description
Having a strong interest in botany, wild plants in particular, I decided to collect coins that show beautiful and/or interesting plants that exist in wildlands throughout the world. I wanted coins that depicted plants realistically and stated both the common and scientific names. To narrow the field as well as provide a large numismatic palette, the coins needed to consist of about one ounce of silver. After much searching, it was evident that only three countries, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, had issued such coins. Most of the coins were minted in Kazakhstan including some from Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The remaining coins issued by Belarus and Kyrgyzstan were minted in Germany or Poland. All the coins are commemoratives.

Because of the location of the issuing countries, the depicted plants are native to eastern Europe or central Asia. However, some exist in the wild elsewhere, including Africa and the Americas. Some have been cultivated as ornamentals in many countries, Greig's tulip being an example.

Rules for Inclusion:
1. Must be a coin, not a medal.
2. Must be at least 85% silver.
3. Must weigh 20-40 g.
4. Must have a realistic depiction of the plant.
5. Must have the genus of the scientific name.
6. Depicted plant must be a wild type and NOT be a cultivar (plant type developed by selective breeding or genetic engineering). For example, Singapore orchid coins do not qualify.
7. Must have a numerical grade from NGC.

Set Goals
Collect 1-ounce silver coins with a wild plant theme. Wish to add more coins that meet the criteria for inclusion. So far, it appears only a few former Soviet republics have issued such coins. If anyone knows of additional coins that meet the criteria, please contact me or leave a comment.

Slot Name
Origin/Country
Item Description
Full Grade
Owner Comments
Pics
View Coin Olga's Flax (Linum olgae) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2008 OLGAS LINEN FLORA HOLOGRAM NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Linum is a genus of flowering plants having about 200 species. The best-known species is Linum usitatissimum, which is the source of fiber for the fabric, linen. Linum olgae, which appears on this coin was named for Olga Fedtschenko, a 20th century Russian botanist. The common name is Olga’s flax. The plant is found in central Asia, is relatively small and low lying, and has small light purple flowers with five petals.
View Coin Peacock Poppy (Papaver pavoninum) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2010 PAPAVER PAVONINUM HOLOGRAM NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO Papaver is a genus of flowering plants having about 100 species. The best-known species is Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy. Papaver pavoninum, which appears on this coin, has bright red flowers with four petals and is known as the peacock poppy. The plant is found in central Asia.
View Coin Regel's Tulip (Tulipa regelii) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2006 TULIP FLORA HOLOGRAM NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO Tulipia is a genus of flowering plants having about 75 species. The tulips of flower gardens are the best known, but most of these are hybrids of 2 or more species. Tulipia regelii, which appears on this coin, was named after the botanist Eduard August von Regel. The plant has dark purple flowers and ribbed (plicated) leaves, which is why it is also known at the plicate tulip. The plant is rare and is found only in the mountains of southern Kazakhstan.
View Coin Crocus (Crocus alatavicus) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2014 GILT CROCUS NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Crocus is a genus of flowering plants having about 100 species. The most famous member of the genus is Crocus sativus, which is the source of the spice and dye, saffron. Crocus alatavicus, which appears on this coin, is a relatively small plant with narrow leaves and vertical flower petals. The petals are basically white with purple speckling on their outer surface. The plant is native to central Asia but has been planted elsewhere.
View Coin Least Moonwort (Botrychium simplex) BELARUS S20R 2014 LEAST MOONWORT NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO Botrychium is a genus of ferns, having 30+ species and known as moonworts. Botrychium simplex is depicted on this coin. Common names are least moonwort and little grapefern. Originally native to Greenland and northern North America, it is extinct or endangered in much of its range in North America. It has been transplanted to northern Europe and exists in the wild there but is rare. The plant grows mostly in open sites, including prairies, wetlands, along roadsides and abandoned construction or mining areas. It is a small green plant, and being a fern, it has no flowers but reproduces via spores.
View Coin Saxaul (Haloxylon sp.) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2016 FLOWERING SAXAUL COLORIZED NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Haloxylon is a genus of shrubs or small trees. There are only two species, H. ammodendron and H. persicum. The common name for both species is saxaul. The plant depicted on the coin matches H. ammodendron more than H. persicum because the latter lacks the leafiness of the tree on the coin. Both species occur in low areas of central Asia and northern China and are drought tolerant. H. ammodendron has been planted extensively in dry areas of central Asia and China to prevent or rectify desertification.
View Coin Edelweiss (Leontopodium sp.) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2007 EDELWEISS FLORA HOLOGRAM NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
Leontopodium is a genus of plants in the aster family and has about 60 species. The genus is native to Europe and Asia. Leontopodium nivale has the common names of edelweiss and snow flower and is found in cold mountainous regions. The plant is about 30 cm tall, has showy white flowers, and has been planted widely.
View Coin Aigul or Moonflower (Fritillaria eduardii) KYRGYZSTAN S10S 2016 AIGUL FLOWER COLORIZED NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO Fritillaria is a genus of flowering plants having about 135 species found throughout the northern hemisphere. Most species have colorful bell-shaped flowers which point toward the ground. Several species are cultivated as ornamentals. Common names usually end in “fritillary” like Persian fritillary and snake’s head fritillary. Fritillaria eduardii, depicted on this coin, is native to central Asia and has striking reddish orange flowers. The plant was named after the botanist Eduard August von Regel. Common names are aigul (moonflower) and ryabchik Eduardo (Eduardo's fitillary).
View Coin Square-stemmed St. John's Wort (Hypericum tetrapterum) BELARUS S20R 2013 SQUARE-STEMMED ST. JOHN'S WORT NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Hypericum is a genus of the flowering plants with about 500 species worldwide. Hypericum tetrapterum, depicted on this coin, has common names of St. Peter's wort, Peterwort, square stemmed St. John's wort, and square stalked St. John's wort. The plant grows about 1 meter tall and has numerous small yellow flowers with 5 petals. It’s found in wet areas throughout Europe and North Africa. It is established in Australia, where it is considered a weed.
View Coin Greig's Tulip (Tulipa greigii) KAZAKHSTAN S500T 2017 Tulipa Greigii Colorized NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Tulipia is a genus of flowering plants having about 75 species. The tulips of flower gardens are the best known, but most of these are hybrids of 2 or more species. Tulipia greigii (Greig's tulip), which appears on this coin, was named after Samuel Greig, president of the Russian Horticultural Society in the 1700's. In the wild, the plant has a large, bright red flower and green and purple leaves. It’s native to central Asia. The plant depicted on the coin is the original wild type. However, this tulip has been cultivated extensively as an ornamental in many parts of the world. The cultivated varieties are numerous and come with different colored blossoms. Some have won prizes at flower shows.
View Coin Rock Cinquefoil (Potentilla rupestris) BELARUS S20R 2017 Potentilla Rupestris NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Potentilla is a genus of flowering plants with over 300 species found throughout the northern hemisphere. They are bushy with multiple small flowers with five petals. Many have colorful flowers and are grown as ornamentals. The common name for them is cinquefoils. Potentilla ruprestris shown on this coin is native to Eurasia, has white flowers, and is known as the rock cinquefoil. The plant was recently moved into the related genus, Drymocallis. This genus has fewer species, and its species are also called cinquefoils.
View Coin Peach-leaved Bellflower (Campanula persicifolia) BELARUS S20R 2014 CAMPANULA PERSICIFOLIA COLORIZED NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Campanula is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as bellflowers because of the shape of their blossoms. The genus includes over 500 species and is distributed across the temperate and subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere. Campanula persicifolia, the plant on this coin, is called the peach-leaved bellflower. It is about 1 m tall, and its flowers are cup-shaped and either lilac-blue or white. It is native to the cooler, damper areas of Europe
View Coin Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris) BELARUS S20R 2014 CALTHA PALUSTRIS COLORIZED NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO Caltha is a genus of small flowering plants of ten species which occur in damp, cool regions of both northern and southern hemispheres. The plant on this coin, Caltha palustris is known as the marsh marigold and is native to the northern hemisphere. It has many, small, bright yellow flowers with five petals (actually sepals).
View Coin Edelweiss (Leontopodium sp.) KYRGYZSTAN S10S 2002 EDELWEISS FLOWER NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO Leontopodium is a genus of plants in the aster family and has about 60 species. The genus is native to Europe and Asia. Leontopodium nivale has the common names of edelweiss and snow flower and is found in cold mountainous regions. The plant is about 30 cm tall, has showy white flowers, and has been planted widely.
View Coin Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) BELARUS S20R 2016 GHOST ORCHID NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO Epipogium is a genus of orchids with four species which are native to Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, Japan and Pacific islands. The plants have no leaves and exist underground depending on fungi for energy. They occasionally send stalks topped with one or more small, pale flowers above ground. They are commonly known as ghost orchids. The species shown on this coin, Epipogium aphyllum, is native to Europe and northern Asia, and is found in forests with a deep layer of composted leaves.

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