The newest addition to a popular set of collectible silver coins from Cameroon, the skull of St. Gonzaga, is based on an original work created by the renowned carver Zane Wylie, using a real human skull and holy relics.
Did you hear the joke about the skeleton that walked into a bar?
He asked for a beer, and a mop.
Okay, so I'm not a comedian, but how else can you introduce a topic like "Carved Human Skulls?"
Well, coins based on a carved human skull anyways, but only because the original piece of art, the actual skull, is sitting safely in a private collection somewhere already.
In 2017, the Republic of Cameroon created a new series of silver coins, celebrating the art motif of skeletons and skulls in various cultures. One of the newest additions to this collection features a carved skull honoring St. Aloysius Gonzaga, created by renowned skull carving artist Zane Wylie.
Visit https://realhumanskull.com/gonzaga-coin for more details about the coin, the saint, and the carver - or to see the original piece of art.
The new coin is based on an older work by Zane Wylie, which was bought by a private collector for upwards of $8,500. While the silver coin has an image of the skull embossed, the original art was carved directly into a real human skull and includes fragments of holy relics.
The coins themselves do not contain fragments of the holy relics, though they are represented in the artwork. The original human skull contains fragments of bones from St. Gonzaga, as well as two ancient crosses.
Minted in Poland, the new coin is 99.9% pure silver, and is legal currency in Cameroon, with a face value of 1000 Francs CFA. However, because of the collectible nature of the coin, it is currently listed at around $350 USD. While the entire collection of skull-based coins has become highly collectible, the St. Gonzaga coin has seen its value increase faster than any other silver coin issued in the series.
The increasing value of the new coin could be due to the popularity of St. Gonzaga, who abandoned the career and comfortable life afforded by his wealthy upbringing to care for those dying of the plague. It may also be due to the skill of the original carver, Zane Wylie, who has recently shot to fame with a wide variety of carved human skulls, which include holy talismans, movie props, and highly prized collector’s items.
While the original carved human skull has no copies and took over 100 hours to complete, the new coin is a limited edition item, with 666 of the 1 oz, 38 mm coins minted in total. Each coin includes a wooden box with a themed cover and a certificate of authenticity.
St. Gonzaga collectible silver coins from Cameroon are officially sold out at the Mint, but may still be available from various collectors, boutiques, or dealers in numismatics.
If you haven't seen any of Zane Wylie's other work, you're really missing out. This new coin is only the tip of the iceberg for the somewhat eccentric carver, who's recently taken to hiding carved human skulls at theme parks, for tourists to find and collect.
And one more thing before you go...
Do you know how skeletons fix their drinks?
... By sternum!
Visit https://realhumanskull.com/gonzaga-coin to learn more about the story of St. Gonzaga, the new collectible coin, and other works by Zane Wylie.
