If you live in Norway you may have seen an online ad about a free silver coin in honor of the sailors that lost their life in the second world war. It is this one:
https://www.samlerhuset.no/krigsseilermedalje
Forty thousand silver coins were minted, one for each Norwegian sailor that fought in the war. Moreover the silver used was originally on board the SL64 Gairsoppa norwegian ship in 1941. The was unfortunately torpedoed by the Germans and the silver sank to the bottom of the sea, 4700 meters deep. With the help of modern underwater technology the lost silver has been brought back to the surface. Samlerhuset.no (which is the commercial extension of 'Den Norske Myntverket') is offering a free silver coin to every household, There are a few things to keep in mind though.
When ordering the coin one has to go through lot of extra 'offers' like a numbered version of the coin. additional coins to buy etc. It is possible to decline all these extra offers. In the end a minimum kost of 39 nok is charged for shipping (4 usd.) Today i received the package, here are its contents:
There is obviously a lot of commercial material, information about 'Samlerhuset' and a cardboard threefold thingy that contains the coin. Included is also a 'certificate of authenticity.'
The is already 'place' for the rest of the coins one can buy. How about the coin itself?
Well, it a small coin weighing 7.7 gram (0.27 oz.) Here is the front side:
The inscription on the anchor says 'Evig Takknemlig' - Forever Grateful.
Here is the back side:
There is a poem (which has a historical significance) inside the shield. Here is a zoomed version:
This is a coin with interesting story but i doubt that it would gain any significant collectors value in the future.
