Niue 2022 HONEY BEE & Hive 1 Troy Oz Pure Silver Gilded Proof in FULL OGP

Description

In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!
SOLD OUT at the Mint!
What's all the
buzz
about? This gorgeous, MUST-HAVE pure silver dollar is the bee's knees! Struck in one full troy ounce of pure silver, with a cameo proof finish selectively gilded with pure 24-karat gold plating, these honey bees buzz about, alighting on flowers and tending to the honeycomb!
The honey bee, found the world over, is an important pollinator—bees pollinate our crops, from fruit trees and vegetables to cereal crops. They also make honey. To create one pound of honey, the workers of a beehive must collect nectar from approximately one million flowers—an astonishing number that means that the honey bee plays a critical role in natural and commercial plant propagation. This one troy ounce proof coin combines precious gold plating with pure silver to salute this invaluable insect friend.
A Gorgeous, Dynamic Design
In the foreground, a honey bee alights on a flower to collect nectar, while two of its hivemates buzz through the air searching for more. Meanwhile more worker bees tend to the hive, the honeycomb dripping with liquid gold. The letters that spell out "Honey Bee" are hidden within the honeycomb.
The Honey Bee: Amazing Insect Engineer—And Dancer!
The honey bee (
Apis mellifera
), found the world over, is an important pollinator—they pollinate our crops, from fruit trees and vegetables to cereal crops. They also make honey (duh). To create one pound of honey, the workers of a beehive must collect nectar from approximately one million flowers—an astonishing number that means that the honey bee plays a critical role in natural and commercial plant propagation. But the honey bee’s amazing talents extend far beyond this vital task.
Using a communication system based around pheromones and behavioral signals like their famous “dances,” these champion team players can communicate complex directions to flowers, once a scout returns to the hive. Bees have a rigidly organized social structure that enables them to build and supply a living environment whose internal symmetry has been the envy of mathematicians for thousands of years.
The colony itself is composed of three groups: workers, drones, and the queen. Scouted in advance by worker bees, hive locations tend to be in the cavities of trees, but also of rocks and occasionally in hollows of buildings and other man-made structures. Once the location is selected, the bees work together to build their new home before escorting their queen there. Beginning at the top of the cavity, the bees construct their hive comb by comb, layer by layer. The upper part of the hive is reserved for honey storage. Pollen is stored in the rows of cells beneath this. Lower down are the cells where new workers and drones are bred. The queen’s quarters are at the bottom.
The beehive, home to the honeybee, is built around an amazing structure, the honeycomb. This superb construction is a mathematically perfect matrix of hexagons that optimizes spatial coverage while minimizing the amount of construction material required for building—a feat of engineering efficiency that is virtually unmatched in the animal kingdom!
The hive is composed of parallel honeycomb layers made of hexagonal cells that are one of nature’s most mathematically precise animal-built constructions. The individual cell walls are formed from secreted wax that is arranged into perfect hexagons whose six walls, each of exactly the same width, meet at precisely 120 degrees. The cells themselves are angled slightly upwards to help contain the honey, pollen, larvae, and eggs they are made to hold.
Obverse
In the foreground, a honey bee alights on a flower to collect nectar, while two of its hivemates buzz through the air searching for more. Meanwhile more worker bees tend to the hive, the honeycomb dripping with liquid gold. The legend HONEY BEE, hidden within the honeycomb, indicates the theme.
Reverse
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank Broadley. The legend ELIZABETH II, the date of issue and denomination also appear, while the legend 1 OZ 999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity.
Packaging
The coin is encapsulated inside a luxurious clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and satin, and protected by a full color outer cardboard box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included.
The image of the back side of the certificate is a mint-supplied image intended for general reference only. The serial number in the image is NOT indicative of the serial number you will receive!
Specifications
Country
Niue
Year of Issue
2022
Face Value
One Dollar
Weight
31.135 g
Diameter
38.60 mm
Mintage Limit
1000
Finish
Proof with Selective 24-Karat Gold Plating
Composition
.999 Fine (Pure) Silver
Edge
Reeded (milled, serrated)
Artist
Ian Rank Broadley (reverse)
Certificate
Individually Numbered
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