A €10 silver coin depicting the Maltese honey bee has won plaudits at the 2025 Coin of the Year Awards, presented in Oklahoma, USA.

Produced by the Central Bank of Malta in collaboration with Germania Mint, the coin stood out among 100 shortlisted coins submitted by mints around the world, winning in the Best Crown Coin category.

The COTY Awards recognise global excellence in coin design, artistic vision and craftsmanship. Winners are selected by a panel of international judges.

The Best Crown Coin award was presented at an official ceremony held in August at the World's Fair of Money in Oklahoma, USA.

In a special event held on 3rd October, Szymon Kurowski, CEO and Founder of Germania Mint, formally presented the award to the Governor of the Central Bank of Malta, Professor Edward Scicluna.

L-R: Elaine Lenzo, Peter Paul Tabone, Benoit Waelkens, Alexander Demarco, Governor Edward Scicluna, Szymon Kurowski, Oliver Bonello, Joseph Esposito, Kevin Cassar

The event was also attended by Deputy Governors Alexander Demarco and Oliver Bonello, Chief Officer for Banking Operations Benoit Waelkens, Kevin Cassar, Curator of the Central Bank's Currency Museum and staff from the Malta Coin Centre.

This marks the second major international accolade for the Maltese Bee coin in 2025.

Earlier this year, it was named the Most Beautiful European Denomination Coin of the Year for 2024 by the Ad€ Association (Les Amis de l'Euro) under the Coupure Européenne de l'Année (CEDA) awards.

The CEDA prize honours innovation, artistic excellence, and graphic quality in euro-denominated coins, sets, and banknotes.

The first Maltese Bee coin was minted in 1972 by the Central Bank of Malta to honour the native honey bee species, found exclusively on the Maltese Islands.

The 2024 coin, by Germania Mint, continues the tradition while representing a harmonious blend of history and modernity. The two-ounce high relief coin coated in ruthenium with gold-plated details stands out with a shape reminiscent of a honeycomb – an emblem of diligence, collaboration, and unity.

The obverse of the coin features a bee with exquisite detailing, its anatomical features rendered in a lifelike manner.

“This precision in capturing detail reflects the essence of contemporary numismatic art, using advanced technology to craft coins that are small works of art,” read an announcement by Germania Mint.