The Federal Mint Swiss mint, continues its four-part “Swiss National Park” series of commemorative coins. Last year, the series started with the motif of the ibex. The red deer and the marmot with follow in 2009 and 2010.

The designer of the”Golden Eagle” commemorative coin is scientific illustrator Nik-laus Heeb. He shows the bird of prey just coming in to land – a dynamic and vigorous pose that is rarely seen in pictures. The bimetallic coin made of aluminium-bronze and copper-nickel has a face value of 10 Swiss francs and is available in minting qualities “uncirculated” and “proof” in a presentation case. The new commemorative coin also supplements the Swiss coin sets for 2008 (legal tender).

After the bearded vulture, the golden eagle is the largest domestic bird of prey and one of the most powerful predatory birds in the world. Females are always larger than males: the wingspan of the female is around 220 cm, that of the male around 200 cm. Its talons, the size of a man’s hand with rear claws often exceeding 5 cm in length, are an especially impressive feature. (more…)