SINGAPORE - The Singapore Mint unveiled a set of four marine life-themed coins on Wednesday which, when connected, form the shape of a wave.
Issued by the National Bank of Cambodia, the Marine Life Commemorative Coin Set's silver coins are shaped like four sea creatures found in Singapore waters - namely the rosy fiddler crab, knobbly sea star, estuarine seahorse and blue ring angelfish.
Director of the Singapore Mint Yip Pak Ling said: "Singapore has rich biodiversity and we hope to bring this to life in our coins."
The rosy fiddler crab is an endangered species which lives in back mangroves, where the mud is firmer.
The knobbly sea star is found among coral and sea grasses and though its orange body may look threatening, it is not venomous.
The female estuarine seahorse lays its eggs in the male's belly pouch for safekeeping while the blue ring angelfish undergoes many changes in colour from dark blue in its youth to orange with a tinge of violet in its adulthood.
The Singapore Mint worked closely with the National Parks to identify the creatures.
The back of the coins feature Angkor Wat - one of the oldest Cambodian temples and a Unesco World Heritage site.
"In order to connect the coins seamlessly, more precise minting techniques had to be used," said Mr Yip. The side of each coin is rimless on the front, so that they join up into a smooth-looking wave.
Pre-orders for the silver coins end on Dec 31. Each set costs $300 and only 3,000 are available.
