OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 12, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Perth Mint first introduced a vision of Oriana in 2006. Based on the English princess from "Amadis of Gaul," a medieval Spanish romance epic, Oriana inspired the Spanish adventurer Amadis to embark on many dangerous quests. First meeting as children, Amadis was taken by Oriana's beauty and humble spirit. As a boy he vowed to protect and love her, becoming a knight and fighting men, beasts and distance until years later, when they could finally be united at the Arch of True Lovers.
Miguel de Cervantes' famed character Don Quixote idolized Amadis for his legendary chivalry. The Perth Mint paid homage to Amadis' story by striking his mortal goddess, Oriana, in Gold. Shown kneeling with a bouquet of flowers, the Oriana bars inspire romance, fidelity and endurance. Though not widely distributed outside of Australia, the masterfully crafted Gold bars were beloved by many, including APMEX founder Scott Thomas.
"We felt that it was a true loss of art when the Perth Mint opted to discontinue these bars," Thomas said. APMEX approached Perth to see if the mint would be open to continuing the design. After a few years of negotiating, Oriana is returning to market. "I loved this story, I loved this design, and I'm excited to offer it as a worldwide APMEXclusive®."
The re-release of this classic, treasured design adds numismatic value to the 1 oz of .9999 fine Gold. To ensure authenticity, each Oriana Gold bar issued by the Perth Mint comes with a unique serial number and is secured in a special red floral packaging, with the mint's signature Swan emblem. The tamper-evident package guarantees the Oriana Gold bar will be preserved in its unaltered, pristine condition for years.
About APMEX, Inc.
For more than 15 years, APMEX has been one of the nation's largest Precious Metals e-retailers. Boasting over $6.5 billion in transactions, APMEX was recently ranked the #1 Specialty E-Retailer and #46 out of 500 e-retailers by Internet Retailer Magazine. APMEX has the largest selection of bullion and numismatic items provided by a retailer, boasting more than 10,000 products. Product offerings include all U.S. Mint bullion such as Gold, Silver and Platinum American Eagle coins. APMEX also sells products from leading mints around the world including The Royal Mint, Perth Mint, Royal Canadian Mint and many others. APMEX is a member of the American Numismatic Association, the International Precious Metals Institute and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. For additional information, visit www.APMEX.com or call (800) 375-9006.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=36838
