Niue: Altar of Veit Stoss – Resurrection of Jesus 2015
Niue: Veit Stoss Altarpiece – Resurrection of Jesus 2015 is a silver collector coin with a face value of 1 dollar, forming part of a series commemorating the high altar in St. Mary’s Basilica in Kraków, the work of Veit Stoss. The coin was struck in .999 fine silver in a near‑square format measuring approximately 28.2 mm per side and weighing 15 g, with a finish combining high relief and a color digital overprint that faithfully reproduces a fragment of the historical retable. The issue belongs to a collection of seven coins depicting selected scenes from the cycle of the Joys of Mary and the Paschal events, prepared by the Mint of Poland for the island of Niue, with an individual certificate and presentation packaging aimed at collectors of artistic numismatics.
Niue: Veit Stoss Altarpiece – Resurrection of Jesus 2015 directly refers to one of the altarpiece’s panels, portraying the risen Christ emerging from the tomb surrounded by stunned guards. The coin’s composition uses a fragment of the sculpture in color, highlighting the richness of medieval polychromy and the details typical of the Kraków work by Veit Stoss, regarded as one of the most valuable Gothic altars in Europe. The inclusion of this scene in the iconographic program of the series underscores the central significance of the Paschal events within the cycle of depictions and emphasizes the coin’s connection with the artistic heritage of St. Mary’s Basilica.
Obverse depicts a stylized portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by inscriptions with the monarch’s name, the issuing country NIUE ISLAND, the year of issue 2015, and the face value 1 DOLLAR, complemented by a decorative motif referencing the altarpiece’s architecture and the issuer’s mark.
Reverse shows the scene of the Resurrection of Jesus inspired by the Veit Stoss altarpiece, with the central figure of Christ rising above the open tomb, surrounded by soldiers astonished by the miraculous event, rendered in high relief with a detailed color overprint that conveys the character of the original woodcarving polychromy.