| Recently, there have been several hologram coins | | | | if it is held at another. A slight difference in the |
| released by some major mints. Other coins have | | | | optical path when one is talking about wavelengths |
| had holograms added after their release. And they | | | | of light is enough to completely change the color |
| can add a beauty that changes as you hold the | | | | that is reinforced. Any movement of the coin |
| coin in your hand, giving a multitude of exciting, | | | | when held, or any change in position when viewing |
| changing colors. | | | | a hologram coin, can cause the coin to completely |
| Holograms, as they apply to coins, are having the | | | | change its color scheme. |
| coins appear to be three dimensional by coating a | | | | When purchasing a hologram coins, first determine |
| portion of the coins. It appears a clear coating | | | | the quality of the hologram. Generally, it is better |
| produces the desired result. A clear coating over | | | | to have the hologram added at the mint during |
| a selective portion of the reverse makes that | | | | the minting process than to have a coin that had |
| portion of the obverse to appear to have depth. | | | | the hologram added later. If the hologram is |
| The easiest way to describe what is happening is | | | | added in the minting process it is less likely the |
| to understand why gasoline can appear to make | | | | hologram will detach from the coin. Another |
| a rainbow of colors when it is spilled, especially if it | | | | reason is coin collectors prefer, in general, to have |
| is floating on water. Light waves are very short. | | | | their coins as close to the state the coins were |
| When light passes through a thin film and reflects | | | | when they left the mint as possible. Altered coins |
| off the other side, or bottom of a gasoline layer, | | | | do not command the same value as similar coins |
| the light may have multiple reflections within the | | | | minted with the desired addition of a hologram. |
| thin layer. Some light might also reflect off the | | | | The Royal Canadian Mint has had several series of |
| top of the layer. The light that one sees in a | | | | hologram coins over recent years. Some have a |
| combination of light that reflected from the | | | | small hologram on them, others have a large |
| gasoline and light that went through the gasoline | | | | portion of the reverse covered with the |
| layer, perhaps several times, and emerged again. | | | | hologram. Perhaps the Natural Wonders Collection |
| If the waves come together such that they are | | | | of silver twenty dollar coins is most impressive. |
| in phase for one color, they will not be in phase | | | | The twenty dollar Canadian Architectural Collection |
| for other colors. That reinforced wavelength gives | | | | is also impressive. And the Canadian Maple Leaf |
| the layer its color. | | | | holograms are beautiful. |
| In the case of hologram coins, the coin itself is | | | | The Royal Australian Mint has had hologram coins |
| often gold or silver, with a highly reflective | | | | in the past, and are once again offering a |
| surface. So the reflection of the light that goes | | | | hologram coin depicting the Aurora Australis. |
| through the thin layer is even more likely, since | | | | The Perth Mint offers a hologram coin, but it is |
| the light cannot pass into the coin in any | | | | one of the Royal Canadian Mint's Tall Ships Series. |
| appreciable amount. As a result, the coin flashes | | | | The Tall Ships Series in another popular Canadian |
| the color that is reinforced due to reflections. But | | | | series. |
| coins change color. This is explained by the fact | | | | Less impressive is the Canadian Loon and the |
| that light travels a different distance through the | | | | Canadian Transportation Series. And the Canadian |
| hologram when the coin is held at one angle than | | | | Maple Leaf holograms are beautiful. |