10 *Austria 2017 Colorful Creatures-The Wolf 3 Euro Glow-in-the-Dark Coins in Original Roll

Reverse:

The reverse features two examples of what is presumably the Eurasian wolf, a subspecies of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) that ranges over Europe, Russia and the Asian steppes. Both are portrayed howling at the full moon, which looms large in the sky behind and between them. The wolf in the foreground is colored in tawny reds (predominantly on its side and haunches), creamy whites (especially on the feet, legs, throat and underbelly) ashy greys and charcoal blacks. Coming in from the right, its forefeet are perched on a rock, elevating the front part of the wolf. The wolf’s companion sits on a larger rock in the mid-ground on the left. Behind each wolf on their respective sides are tree trunks topped with scaly looking leaves. A clearing or path runs between them, from the wolf in the foreground to the small forest of what appear to be pine trees behind them.

The year 2017 is a slightly futuristic font is inscribed on the rock, nestled on top of a patch of grass. Beneath the year and the grass is the ragged outline of a pond; the plain field serves as both water and sky. The word WOLF–inscribed in the same font as the date but larger, as though it were closer to the viewer–is located in the pond.

Obverse:

A group of animals is at the center of the obverse; naturally enough, these are the animals featured in the “Colorful Creatures” series. Animals that fly are placed at the top, animals that move about on land are in the middle, and creatures of the sea are on the bottom of the grouping. Starting with the bat and moving clockwise, we get an owl, a pine or fir tree, a crescent moon, a howling wolf, an African savannah tree, an otter, a crayfish, a turtle, a shark, a tiger and a parrot. A kingfisher, a frog and a crocodile form an inner ring, and a small patch of wild grass is at the very heart of the design. Flowers and stars are intermingled among the land animals, while dots and circles representing bubbles are dispersed among the sea creatures.

None are rendered in great detail. Instead, a sort of pointillistic effect is used.

The inscription REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH wraps around the left side of the rim, while a large numeral “3” and the word EURO denote the denomination of the coin along the bottom. The sans serif font appears to be a thicker version of that found on the reverse. Between the two phrases is a paw print.

Glow-in-the-Dark Elements:

The specific glow-in-the-dark elements of the coin are demonstrated in the image below (courtesy of the Austrian Mint)

Coin Specifications: