The Mermaid Coin Series

Shop All Mermaid Series Silver Collectible coins by Scottsdale Mint.

Once upon a time on the rim of a mountain lake, a woman stands on the precipice of a rock, her long dark hair whipping around her face as she looks at her muddled reflection in the water. Struck by grief at the sudden loss of her husband, the woman breathes what she hopes will be her last, and jumps into the dark waters, sinking down underneath the curling waves. 

These waters, however, have a life and mind of their own; they have a power and intention the woman does not know about. The lake decides the woman is far too beautiful and kind to let her drown in its soft carpet of silt. 

The waves begin to swirl around the woman, lifting her back up to the surface, and laying her softly down on a smooth rock by the waters’ edge. As she lies on the rock, fast asleep, the water swirls around her legs, gently at first but gaining in speed and light. For several minutes, the woman is surrounded by a shimmering brightness as the water works its magic, inside and out. 

When the waves subside, the woman is transformed into something altogether new and wonderful; able to live in two different worlds with dignity and grace; extending healing and comfort to all who mourn.

Tales of Mermaids stretch far and wide across the world, touching a variety of cultures and belief systems. Ask anyone their first thought when they think of this sea creature, and they will most likely have an answer that relates to the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. The first few bars of the song “Under the Sea” might even pop into your head. While The Little Mermaid  is probably the most famous Mermaid story in the world, it is far from the first. 

The story of the Assyrian goddess, Atargatis, is believed to be the original Mermaid story and would serve as the inspiration for all other tales that followed. Atargatis was the goddess of the moon, fertility, and water. Her temple, made of gold and diamonds, housed a pool of living fish which her worshippers had to swim through to get to the altar. 

Pictures of Mermaids first appeared around 8-10 centuries B.C. These images were painted on the walls of caves during the Stone Age. It was approximately during this period that humans began leaving the safety of land and began branching out to sail the mighty sea. From these adventures, the legends and myths of Mermaids were born.