Today, June 12th, is independence day for the Republic of the Philippines—a country whose coins I collect with great interest.

Last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) issued a commemorative coin set that honored the 125th anniversary of Philippine independence and nationhood on June 12th.

This NCLT set is the first colored coin set of the Philippines. It was produced by the BSP using the latest digital printing technology. The set has three coins consisting of 100-Piso, 20-Piso, and 5-Piso denominations. They are 34 mm in diameter and are made of Nordic Gold. When added together, the coin’s numeric value totals 125 which corresponds to the number of years the event marks.

An interesting feature of this coin set is the design on the reverse which forms a puzzle, with each coin being a piece of a larger image. Each piece features an image of rays of the sun found in the seal of the First Philippine Republic (Left: 5 Piso; Right: 100 Piso; Bottom: 20 Piso). Additionally, each part of the set also bears a third of the lyrics of the Philippine national anthem, "Lupang Hinirang," in microletters. 

The Obverse

100 Piso

On the obverse of the 100-Piso coin is an image of the declaration of the Philippine Independence in 1898. The coin has 8 corners in its inner border. mirroring the 8 rays of the sun on the Philippine flag, which represent the 8 provinces that fought for independence. It also has 125 lines on its border representing 125 years of Philippine Independence. 

20 Piso

The obverse of the 20-Piso coin features the iconic image of the Barasoain Church as seen in the 10-Piso New Design Series Banknote. The coin has 12 corners in its inner border to represent June 12, the date of the declaration of Philippine Independence. It also has 125 lines on the border of the coin to represent 125 years of Philippine Independence. 

5 Piso

On the obverse of the 5-Piso coin is a rendition of the Philippine Revolutionary Army in action during the Philippine - American War, with Philippine Forces rallying behind the flag. The coin has 16 corners in its inner border to represent the 16 days that the Philippine National Flag Day is observed, from May 28 to June 12. (The national flag it to be be prominently displayed in all buildings, establishments, and homes on these days.) The coin also has 125 lines on its border to represent 125 years of Philippine Independence.

My set is still in its original blister pack, but I plan on eventually getting the coins graded and encapsulated. The NGC Registry has member who showcases these coins as part of the Nordic Gold commemorative coins (Philippines) competitive set. You can view them here:

https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/459842/