Suriname Map

The Republic of Suriname is a former Dutch colony, governed as Dutch Guiana until 1954, that borders Brazil to the southeast. Suriname is undergoing a boom in silver and gold mining and earlier in 2015 opened its first refinery in a joint venture with Dubai-based Kaloti Precious Metals, the first of its kind in the region. Suriname currently mines around 40 tonnes of gold a year.

The Surinamese bullion coin from European Central Mint is their first. It began production in 2012 and the series ended in 2013 due to criminal activity of the European Central Mint (producers of the coin). The coin is denominated with a Surinamese face value (10 Surinamese dollars), and is therefore considered official currency. It is minted with 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver. 

Silver Bullion Mintage

Design

Obverse: The obverse of each brilliant uncirculated coin depicts a map of Suriname with 10 stars in a half circle above the image and the words “SERVA ME SERVABO TE” below. Each star represents Suriname’s 10 districts and the inscription is a Latin phrase meaning “Save me and I will save you.”

Reverse: Suriname’s Coat of Arms is featured on the reverse. The motto reads Justitia – Pietas – Fides (“Justice – Piety – Fidelity”). It consists of two indigenous men carrying a shield; a trade ship on the water representing Suriname's colonial past as a source of cash crops and its present day involvement in international commerce; the royal palm represents both the rain forest that covers two-thirds of the country and the country's involvement in agribusiness; the diamond represents the mining industry; the star symbolizes the five continents from which the inhabitants of Suriname immigrated. Above the coat of arms “REPUBLIEK SURINAME” is inscribed and the denomination of “10 DOLLAR” is found below it. The coat of arms bisects the date. On the lower left near the edge is the weight "1 OZ". The fineness and content of ".999 AG" is inscribed on the lower right.