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Birka Geocoin


MotoCycleBoi

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Posted (edited)

Birka.jpg

 

Birka Geocoin

 

During the Viking age Birka, on the island of Björkö in Sweden was an important trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as Central and Eastern Europe and the Orient. Björkö is located in the lake Mälaren, 30 kilometers west of Stockholm. Birka is generally regarded as Sweden's oldest town. Birka has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.

 

Established in the middle of the 8th century and thus being one of the earliest urban settlements in Scandinavia. Birka was also important as the site of the first known Christian congregation in Sweden, founded in 831 by saint Ansgar.

On the center of the coin is Birka cross. A Christian cross Viking style.

 

On the Birka Geocoin are only symbols found on tools and jewellery from the Birka excavations.

 

The Birka Geocoin is designed by silverkonst.se and will be minted by geocoin.se.

 

 

Moderator edit: This coin is trackble at geocaching.com.

Edited by Flying Spaghetti Monster
Posted

I love it. Being part Swede I find myself drawn to this coin and would love to be able to purchase one... so long as I don't have to give up an arm and a leg for it.

 

What will the back side look like and do you have an icon designed for it? How much do you expect it to cost and how many finishes will you be making available?

Posted (edited)

BirkaBack.jpg

 

Backside of Birka Geocoin.

 

Outmost ring: Symbols found in Birka

Big outer ring: Map of Birka with the name of saint Ansgar and the island name Björkö in runic alphabeth. By the viking ship the viking symbol for the sun.

Blue ring: Birka in runic alphabeth.

Center of the coin: Mjölner; the hammer of the Thunder god Thor.

 

A young monk named Ansgar arrived in Birka in the year 830 to spread the Christian gospels. Many of the inhabitants were baptised and there was a small church in the town. Nevertheless, most of the people in Birka were heathens.

Edited by MotoCycleBoi
Posted

Since you didn't post any of the normal information for others, let me ask:

- When are they going to be available?

- What finishes?

- How many are being minted?

 

And most importantly, are they trackable?

- The coin will hopefully be available in the end of May 2008.

- The coin will be available in different two tone plantings and different colour combinations. Final details not set yet.

- 500 will be minted initially. The coin may be re-minted but not in the same finishes.

- Yes, the coin will be trackable at geocaching.com with own icon. Tracking information on the edge of the coin.

Posted (edited)

I love it. Being part Swede I find myself drawn to this coin and would love to be able to purchase one... so long as I don't have to give up an arm and a leg for it.

 

What will the back side look like and do you have an icon designed for it? How much do you expect it to cost and how many finishes will you be making available?

- The Birka Geocoin will be a big 2" coin.

- The price we are aiming for is 65 SEK. The mint has announced a price increase so we don't know the exact price yet.

- Icon is coming soon.

- There will be at least three different finishes.

Edited by MotoCycleBoi
Posted

BirkaBack.jpg

 

Backside of Birka Geocoin.

 

Outmost ring: Symbols found in Birka

Big outer ring: Map of Birka with the name of saint Ansgar and the island name Björkö in runic alphabeth. By the viking ship the viking symbol for the sun.

Blue ring: Birka in runic alphabeth.

Center of the coin: Mjölner; the hammer of the Thunder god Thor.

 

A young monk named Ansgar arrived in Birka in the year 830 to spread the Christian gospels. Many of the inhabitants were baptised and there was a small church in the town. Nevertheless, most of the people in Birka were heathens.

 

This is a very special coin :blink: congrats.

Posted

I missed out on the Viking coin. This one, I think, I'm gonna have to have. drool.gif

 

mail.gif

 

Anyone interested in combining orders to save on shipping? Email me, please!.

Posted (edited)

This is going to be a wonderful coin! I am sure of it. Really looking forward to see this one when its made. I hope I don´t miss it when it becomes available.

Edited by Mufflon
Posted

An excellent coin. Nice design and a good history. Have been at Birka a couple of times and I really like Björkö. Have charged my wallet with SEK so I going for a full set.

 

Keep up the good work, MCB :blink:

Posted

Than you all for the great reception of our coin! :blink:

Means a lot to us.

The Birka Geocoin is designed by my wife; Caching nick Nenne_

 

Great work Nenne_!

Posted

Than you all for the great reception of our coin! :huh:

Means a lot to us.

The Birka Geocoin is designed by my wife; Caching nick Nenne_

 

Great work Nenne_!

 

Thanks :):)

Posted
I missed out on the Viking coin. This one, I think, I'm gonna have to have. drool.gif

 

mail.gif

 

Anyone interested in combining orders to save on shipping? Email me, please!.

 

You have mail!!!

Posted
I missed out on the Viking coin. This one, I think, I'm gonna have to have. drool.gif

 

mail.gif

 

Anyone interested in combining orders to save on shipping? Email me, please!.

 

You have mail!!!

 

:anibad:

 

Yup, and I think we have a group to order together - I'm just waiting for the response from the others.

 

Thanks!

Posted

Beautiful coin. A real wannahave. Are you going to take pre-orders?

Thank you!

 

We have not decided about pre-orders yet.

No pre-orders before the samples anyway.

 

This coin is designed by my wife an fellow cacher Nenne_. :)

Nenne_ have worked more with the design of the Birka Geocoin and we have now started a dialog with the mint.

Posted

Hoping you will have the proof coins, then a date, as there are a small group of us interested in combining our order to save on shipping on this lovely coin.

 

:)

Posted

Birka2.jpg

Front with the Birka cross.

 

BirkaBack2.jpg

Back with Mjölner the hammer of Thor

 

Nenne_ have worked some more on the design (see above).

We got a price quote from the mint. The price was higher than we expected. But after some pondering we have decided to make it anyway.

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