2018-05-24 Thu

The thermometer is a vital instrument in the fields of meteorology, medicine, industry and scientific research. Some historians believe that they were first used by Hero of Alexandria, who lived circa 10-70 CE in Egypt. Aztecs worshiped gods affecting temperature and they lived in central Mexico before the Spanish conquest. An Aztec myth mentions about Itztlacoliuhqui, who is the god of frost and cold.

The Perth Mint has released a special 2oz 99.9% pure silver coin with an operational dial thermometer including both Celsius and Fahrenheit scales. The coin is issued as a legal tender for Tuvalu and has a mintage limit of 2,500 pieces. The thermometer’s face depicts an Aztec-style sun in the middle and the coin is rendered in an antiqued finish. Aztec-style patterns and iconography based on the circular Aztec agricultural, or solar, calendar are also featured. The fire-breathing sun god Tonatiuh is shown with an arrow in one hand, a flaming torch in the other, wearing flame earrings. Itztlacoliuhqui is shown breathing frost and carrying an arrow.

The cold side of the thermometer dial features an Aztec-style snowflake. The opposite side features a design of the sun’s rays. The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark is depicted on the reverse. The obverse also shows an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II along with the texts “2 Dollars” and “2018”. The coin has a reeded edge and a thickness of 6.00 mm. Each coin comes in a grey display case, within a shipper, along with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Image Courtesy: The Perth Mint