1 oz Silver North Rhine-Westphalia by Night - Zollverein Coal Mine in Essen 2026 (Mintage: 100 | Gilded)

North Rhine-Westphalia by Night 2026: Zollverein Coal Mine under Full Moon and Milky Way

• Strictly limited: A micro mintage of which there are only 100 pieces worldwide
• Growth opportunities: Very high potential for value appreciation thanks to the tiny mintage and strong demand from the collector community
• Rarity: An extremely rare collector's coin that you will hardly encounter even at major coin fairs
• Investment target: A tightly limited collector's coin, whose strict limitation carries high potential for value appreciation
• Design: The UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein in Essen – on the obverse the legendary double-headed frame winding tower of Shaft XII, on the reverse the illuminated coking plant, both beneath a full moon and a shimmering violet Milky Way
• Exclusive: You can only obtain this collector's item at Kettner Edelmetalle
• Premium finishing: Colour application on both sides plus a gold-plated edge, applied especially for you in several technical processing steps
• Material / fineness: A full ounce (31.1 g) of silver in top purity 999.9/1,000
• Manufacturer: Kettner Edelmetalle, additionally finished afterwards in Germany
• Country of origin: Germany; Liberia serves as the issuing country with a face value of 20 dollars

Essen, in the north of the city, shortly after nightfall. On the horizon, a last streak of evening red fades away, above it stretches a deep blue, star-studded sky. And right in the middle of the scene it rises: the red double-headed frame, the landmark of the Ruhr region. It is exactly this atmosphere that the 1 oz Silver North Rhine-Westphalia by Night – Zollverein Coal Mine in Essen 2026 captures. It belongs to the "Cities and Landscapes" series and is issued in a very low mintage. A piece for everyone who loves industrial culture, calls the Ruhr region home, or wants to treat their collection to a design beyond castles and cathedrals.

✔ Two views of the "most beautiful coal mine in the world"

On the obverse, you stand directly in front of the open gate. The pavement glistens with moisture and reflects the warm light of the lanterns, with small brick buildings nestled on either side. Behind it rises the double-headed frame winding tower with its pulley wheels, framed by cubic halls whose ribbon windows let golden light spill out. In the upper right, a large full moon shines. On the left, the Milky Way stretches across the sky in violet and pink. Along the lower edge runs the inscription "1 OZ 9999 FINE SILVER 2026" in gold-coloured letters.

The reverse shifts to the coking plant. The illuminated coke oven batteries line up in a long row, above them stand two slender chimneys and a network of conveyor bridges. In the foreground you discover a burning miner's lamp as well as a hammer and pick, the traditional symbol of mining. On the right runs the face value "20 DOLLARS", at the bottom sits the small coat of arms of Liberia. Here too, moon and Milky Way appear again – the connecting element of all coins in the "by Night" series.

✔ From coal to culture: 175 years after the first extraction

It all began in 1847, when industrial pioneer Franz Haniel had the first shaft sunk in the north of Essen. From 1851, hard coal was extracted. The great leap followed between 1928 and 1932: the architects Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer built the central shaft complex XII in the spirit of New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. When the wheels of the 55-metre-high double-headed frame first turned on 1 February 1932, Zollverein was considered the largest and most efficient coal mine in the world. From 1957 to 1961, the coking plant that now adorns the reverse was built according to plans by the same architects.

On 23 December 1986, the miners went down for the last time, and the coking plant followed on 30 June 1993. But the end was also a beginning. Since 2001, the Zollverein Coal Mine industrial complex has belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2010 the double-headed frame became the emblem of the Capital of Culture RUHR.2010. This is how the World Heritage Site describes itself:

"Most beautiful coal mine of the Ruhr region", "wonder of technology", "cathedral of industrial culture" – Zollverein has always been a place of superlatives.

✔ Colour, gold and precision: the finishing

This coin unfolds its magic only after minting. A specialised company in Germany applies the nocturnal colour world to each side with great precision: night blue, purple, glowing orange and the warm yellow of the windows. Every shade sits exactly right, making the design look almost like a painting. The gold-plated edge frames the scene like an elegant picture frame, complemented by the finely milled edge design. The coin arrives in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition, securely stored in a capsule, so that colour and shine remain permanently protected.

✔ Finished rarity or classic bullion coin?

Well-known silver coins such as Maple Leaf, Britannia, American Eagle, the Kangaroo from Australia or the China Panda are produced every year in huge quantities. Their advantage is obvious: like silver bars, they trade close to the pure metal value. An embellished edition like the Zollverein Coal Mine, on the other hand, carries a collector's premium. In return, it offers craftsmanship, regional identity and genuine rarity. With a mintage of only 100 pieces, only a tiny circle of collectors will ever own this design. This limitation clearly sets the coin apart from mass-produced items and makes it a sought-after rarity. Anyone who already owns designs from the series, such as Drachenburg Castle in Königswinter, Neuschwanstein or the Brandenburg Gate, will find here the industrial counterpart from the heart of the Ruhr region.

✔ A noble base metal with a long tradition

Even though the design is clearly the focus, the metal itself deserves a closer look:

• Profits from the sale are generally tax-free after a holding period of at least one year
• For thousands of years, this white precious metal has served as coin and currency metal and is regarded as a symbol of prosperity and prestige
• Electronics, solar and medical technology ensure strong industrial demand against a limited supply
• It is durable, retains its properties over generations and makes a wonderful heirloom
• Compared to gold and gold coins, it is affordable, in demand worldwide and therefore easy to resell

Many buyers also value precious metals as an inflation hedge or as a building block for personal crisis protection. With this edition, however, the joy of collecting is clearly the primary focus.

✔ Key information at a glance

• Material: Fine silver 999.9/1,000, partially gold-plated and coloured
• Denomination: 1 ounce
• Fine weight: 31.1 grams
• Diameter: 40 mm
• Face value: 20 dollars (Liberia)
• Year of minting: 2026
• Mintage: 100 pieces
• Condition: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU)
• Edge: milled
• Series: Cities and Landscapes
• Manufacturer: Kettner Edelmetalle
• Delivery: in a coin capsule

The coin finishing is carried out by a renowned company in Germany with the utmost care and precision. The manufacturer information refers to the coin, not to the finishing.

✔ Glück auf! A piece of the Ruhr region for your display case

Whether as the highlight of your own collection, as a memento of a visit to the World Heritage Site, or as a gift for people whose families once worked underground: this coin combines mining history with modern finishing craftsmanship. Its strict limitation also gives it particular potential for value appreciation. With so few specimens, it is worth not hesitating for long. Do you have questions about this edition? Our customer service will be happy to advise you at any time.

You can find more fantastic-looking and premium-crafted exclusive collector's coins here.