2023 Niue $5 Paracelsus 2oz Silver Coin

16th century German-Swiss physician Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim was no ordinary physician – he was an experimental alchemist, medical revolutionist, lay theologian, astrologer, Renaissance philosopher, and diviner.  Nicknamed Doctor Paracelsus, this man established the role of chemistry in medicine and is often credited as the father of toxicology.

Despite the ‘simple’ ideas of his peers, Doctor Paracelsus was fascinated with something much darker & sacrilegious – he was the first to write about the complex creation process of an artificial human being. Ironically, this detailed description of how to make a homunculus (Latin for ‘little man, miniature human’) became Paracelsus’ magnum opus. This limited-edition collectible coin ‘Paracelsus’ commemorates this story.  

The reverse of this extraordinary piece depicts the birth of the homunculus in a laboratory flask into which Doctor Paracelsus adds a secret ingredient, symbolically marked by an emerald-green Swarovski crystal.

Good fun, and highly exclusive, each two ounce, 99.9% pure silver Paracelsus coin is part of a mintage of just 500 pieces.

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