New Zealand Mint Partners With PFG Precious Metals And Nickelodeon To Create Limited Edition Coins Featuring Characters From Spongebob Squarepants

Auckland-based New Zealand Mint has partnered with PFG Precious Metals, a division of PFGBEST, to manufacture, produce and distribute a limited edition four-coin set featuring characters from Nickelodeon’s global pop culture phenomenon SpongeBob SquarePants.

The world’s most famous sea sponge, SpongeBob SquarePants, will be immortalized on a square, legal tender silver bullion coin, along with friends, Patrick, Gary, and Sandy. The set presents the SpongeBob SquarePants characters packaged in a unique treasure chest, complete with a certificate of authenticity issued by New Zealand Mint.

For a limited time these one-of-kind coins can be pre-ordered through New Zealand Mint and PFG Precious Metals for US$279 (approx. NZ$350).

“This coin collection is extremely exciting for us,” says Chris Kirkness, vice president for USA Operations at New Zealand Mint. “With SpongeBob having such a huge fan base, we believe the issue will be a global bestseller. To marry a premium bullion coin with a fun and exciting brand such as Nickelodeon is a one–of-a-kind opportunity for Nsew Zealand Mint.”

Peter Thomas, director of business development for PFG Precious Metals, agrees.

“This partnership joins a beloved television character with a collectible currency that stands the test of time,” Thomas notes. “Coin enthusiasts the world over will be delighted with a precious metal asset in the form of a 4-coin set that features SpongeBob.”

For more information and to pre-order, go to www.newzealandmint.com/spongebob or www.spongebobcoins.com. Shipping is scheduled to begin by mid-December 2011.

About The Coins: The set includes four, 1-ounce silver legal tender bullion coins packaged in a unique treasure chest, reminiscent of one found in “Bikini Bottom,” where SpongeBob and his friends live. The silver coins depict SpongeBob; his pet snail, Gary; his best friend, Patrick Star; and his friend, Sandy Cheeks, a squirrel. The obverse of the coin features The Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, sovereign of the commonwealth of Niue. Each coin in the set is struck from 1 ounce of pure bullion silver. No more than 100,000 coins for each design will be issued by New Zealand Mint.