2021 Niue Plague Doctor High Relief Antiqued Silver Coin

Plague doctors were physicians who dealt with victims of the bubonic plague in the 15th century. These physicians were contracted by cities to treat infected patients during epidemics regardless of income or social status, most notably for the poorer citizens.  Their reputation was not one of comfort, as the presence of the plague doctors was often taken as a sign that things were becoming dire in a given area. Some were known to perform shady practices such as charging extra fees and passing on illegitimate cures. Often times the plague doctors were inexperienced doctors, or simply volunteers. Their task was most usually to simply record data for analytical purposes, such as death tolls.  The outfit they often wore allowed them to keep the infected at arm’s length and protect themselves as best they could. The bird-like mask held herbs and flowers to prevent the smell of death and disease from reaching the doctors while they worked.

Regardless of their real-world effectiveness, the haunting visage of the plague doctor has become an iconic image in popular culture. To celebrate these enigmatic figures, GR Reserve has partnered with Helvetic Mint and talented artist Chris Lovell to design this amazing 50-gram antiqued .999 silver coin