The Isle of Man has its own circulating coinage, which is used in parallel with the British Pound Sterling; it also issues an extensive range of commemorative coins for collectors, as well as bullion coins in a variety of formats and designs for investors in precious metals.
One of the formats used is the large two ounces of silver, abbreviated as 2oz Ag, where Ag comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum. The coins are considered Non-Circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) because they are "premium" editions released at prices much higher than their bullion value.
The Mint says about this coin: The Noble coins have been issued by Isle of Man since the early 1980’s. Despite their world-wide popularity, they were not minted every year. This had added to the coins allure as previous issues can be difficult to find. This year’s Noble is better than ever as it is struck using CIT’s exclusive smartminting technology! From the ultra high relief of the ship’s bow to the wind filled sails, every design aspect will be bolder than it was before! You can almost feel the wind when you look at this coin!
The design of this double thick piedfort is framed by an elaborate viking motif border.
It is usually said that Nobles are legal tender but without a fixed face value, like the Krugerrand or Mexico’s Libertad which are legal tender to the value of their precious metal content. However, according to the various Currency Determinations by The Treasury of the Isle of Man authorising each issue, under section 6 of the Currency Act 1992, the "Noble" denomination is equal to 5 pounds in face value, with fractions or multiples divided or multiplied as required by the fraction or multiplier shown on the reverse of the coin - hence, the two-ounce size is equal to 10 pounds. |