Austria 3 Euro Luminous Marine Life Complete Set Coins 2023 2024 2025

For Sale:
Austria 3 Euro Coins Luminous Marine Life
Complete Set of Twelve Coins

Country: Austria
Face Value: 3 Euro
Theme:
* Swell Shark
* Mauve Stinger
* Blue Doctorfish
* Hawaiian Bobtail Squid
* Yellow Stingray
* The Firefly Squid
* Devil Scorpionfish
* Doridid Nudibranch
* Blue-ringed octopus
* Antarctic Krill
* Stony Coral
* Deep-sea Anglerfish
Collection: Luminous Marine Life
Position in Series: Full Set of 12
Composition: Base Metals
Quality: Uncirculated
Year: 2023 2024 2025
Weight (Per Coin): 16 g
Mintage: 65,000 Sets
Coin Shape: Circular
Diameter: 34.00 mm
Edge: Plain
Edge Inscription: None
Packaging: Lighthouse Capsules
Condition: See images
Certificate: No Certificate Issued
Mint: Austrian Mint AG
Designer: Mag. Helmut Andexlinger, Kathrin Kuntner

Shipping Options
Only charge An Post rates (rounded up to nearest Euro)
(Will combine shipping):
* Standard Post (Ireland): €4
* Registered Post (Ireland): €10
* Collection (Bray): Free

Payment Options:
* Bank Transfer.
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* Cash.

Description:

Swell Shark
The swell shark gets its name from its ability to inflate itself to roughly double its normal size by swallowing water as a form of protection from predators. But that’s not its only amazing property – the hero of the second coin in the Luminous Marine Life series can also fluoresce green all over.

To do so, the swell shark converts incoming ultraviolet light, or blue light, into green light. A special pigment in the sharks’ eyes enables it to see the neon green of its conspecifics. Human eyes do not have that pigment, which is why we need an ultraviolet torch to see the swell shark’s green glow. The molecules that make swell sharks fluoresce are unique in the animal world. The light areas of their skin glow more intensely than the dark ones. Why the shark does that is not yet fully understood, but it is assumed that the process helps swell sharks to recognise each other and to distinguish between the males and females of the species. It could also be a form of camouflage and because the molecules offer protection against bacteria and algae and just happen to glow.

Although the swell shark is not targeted for fishing, humans are its main predator as the sharks still end up as bycatch in lobster and crab traps as well as in bottom trawls. This is a problem because swell sharks reproduce slowly and have few young. Global warming and overfishing are further challenges, as the swell shark prefers temperate water temperatures and industrial fishing reduces the shark’s feeding opportunities. The swell shark is just one of 12 fascinating examples in the Luminous Marine Life series of why we absolutely have to protect the marine habitat – not least from ourselves.



Mauve Stinger
As fleeting as a dream, the mauve stinger is a transparent, delicate creature that moves through the water with a gentle pumping motion, as if in slow motion. But as shown on the spectacular sixth coin in the Luminous Marine Life series, the jellyfish also knows how to put on a light show.

The entire body of the mauve stinger can glow. When touched with a hard object its bell and tentacles produce a light that lasts a few minutes. This bioluminescence is generated when a luminescent molecule is ‘switched on’ by an enzyme. The mucous covering the jellyfish also begins to glow and, if it sticks to another object, can continue to glow there for a short time.

Blue Doctorfish
With its disc-shaped body, vivid blue colour, intense stare and pursed lips, the blue doctorfish looks like something from a child's drawing. On the seventh coin in the Luminous Marine Life series, it can also change colour with the help of ultraviolet light.

The blue doctorfish gets its name from bony projections on its tail that have a razor-sharp edge not unlike a surgeon’s scalpel. When a rival comes close, the striking yellow ‘scapel’ is extended as a threat to ward off attack, which can lead to nasty cuts being inflicted on the enemy should it fail to heed the warning.

Once young blue doctorfish grow roughly to the size of a 1 euro coin, they begin their life on the seabed. When illuminated with a special light at this stage, they glow an intense greenish colour. The fish play an important role in maintaining the health of coral reefs as they remove algae when feeding, which provides space for coral to flourish. In addition, their droppings fertilise the reef.

Along with the other coins in the Luminous Marine Life series, the Blue Doctorfish is aimed at vividly demonstrating the beauty and vibrancy of the underwater world. To ensure that the marine habitat remains as diverse as on our colourful coins, it must be protected at all costs

Hawaiian Bobtail Squid
Between five and ten centimetres in length, the Hawaiian bobtail squid is a tiny hunter that stalks its prey at night in shallow coastal waters. Although it has a unique luminescent organ, unlike other squid species, the squid cannot change colour at will, so it spends the day buried in the sand, only coming out at night to hunt for food. But when ultraviolet light is shone on the eighth coin in the Luminous Marine Life series, its colour changes from light brown and black to red or blue.

Located in the cephalopod’s mantle, the luminescent organ of the Hawaiian bobtail squid is powered by bioluminescent bacteria, with which the squid has an extraordinary partnership of convenience. The bacteria produce light and in return the squid provides them with shelter and food in the form of a sugar-amino acid solution. When the bacteria begin to glow, the silhouette of the squid disappears in the light coming from above, and when viewed from below, it can no longer be distinguished from the glittering surface of the water, for example, when lit by moonlight.

Cephalopods, especially octopuses, are intelligent animals and their many abilities fascinate visitors to aquariums where it has been show that they can solve tasks such as opening cans, completing puzzles correctly and even operating a camera.

Yellow Stingray
A fish of many talents, the yellow stingray moves through the water in an inimitable wave-like manner, glows green when exposed to ultraviolet light and has a nasty, venomous sting in its tail. But, never fear, by shining ultraviolet light on the the ninth coin in the Luminous Marine Life series, this spectacular phenomenon can be recreated in the safety of your own home.

The yellow stingray’s green glow is the result of its ability to reflect light with the help of endogenous substances. The function of this luminescence is not clear but the stingray may use it to communicate with other members of its species and as a form of camouflage.

No more than 75 centimetres in length, the yellow stingray is able to keep a watchful eye on its surroundings as its eyes are located at the highest point on its flat, almost circular body. An additional safety feature is the pointed, dagger-like spike covered in poisonous skin that sits far back on its tail. Used for self-defence, the sting comes into its own if the stingray is being held in the mouth of a shark, when it whips its tail at lightning speed and stabs the aggressor.

The Firefly Squid
The tenth coin in the Luminous Marine Life series is the second to feature a centre that looks empty and dark blue in normal light. When illuminated with ultraviolet light, however, its secret is revealed as you come face to face with yet another captivating sea creature – in this case the firefly squid.

It may be tiny but the firefly squid certainly knows how to draw attention to itself. A bioluminescent organism, the squid has tiny, light-producing organs known as photophores all over its mantle, head, arms and tentacles and can create an impressive spectacle of light when emitting a blue glow en masse. Every year from March to May, the waters off the coast of Japan's Toyama Bay glow a magical blue colour as, despite spending most of their lives in deeper water, the squid come close to the shore to lay their eggs.

Whether tiny or huge, all cephalopods, including the firefly squid, have roughly the same body structure. The firefly squid has ten arms, two of which are elongated and serve as tentacles that hang directly from the head. The squids remaining eight arms are covered with suction cups and are used to guide the squid’s prey to its mouth, while the tentacles are mainly used to catch the prey in the first place. The fact that the firefly squid can move very quickly by sucking in water then expelling it, a process that catapults them forwards, helps them in their predatorial activities.

Devil Scorpionfish
The devil scorpionfish, also known as the false stonefish, is one of only 180 species known to exhibit biofluorescence. This underwater marvel is celebrated on the twelfth and final coin in the Luminous Marine Life series, which not only shines but also transforms as its colours shift under ultraviolet light, mirroring the dazzling biofluorescent display of its real-life inspiration.

Found in the Red Sea and the tropical Indo-Pacific, the devil scorpionfish has a stocky, slightly high-backed body covered in 45 vertical rows of scales. Its head and mouth are large, but its eyes are small and set high. The devil scorpionfish tends to be mottled to varying degrees and the spines on its dorsal fin contain a painful venom. Existing primarily on a diet of other fish, the devil scorpionfish is a solitary fish that lives on the seabed, primarily in rocky habitats at depths ranging from 1 to 70 metres, but it can also be found partially buried in the sandy bottom.

The devil scorpionfish usually waits patiently for passing prey, sometimes partially buried. The wait may be long but feeding is lightning fast. Since devil scorpionfish have no teeth, they suck their prey into their gaping mouths and swallow it whole without chewing. A master of patience and precision, this extraordinary predator seamlessly blends stillness and spectacular speed.

Doridid Nudibranch
A perfect example of how nature creates art without even trying, the doridid nudibranch makes a feather boa look dull by comparison.
Admired for its eccentric shape and vibrant colours, which transform under ultraviolet light, the shell-less sea slug features on the eleventh coin in the Luminous Marine Life series.
The dazzling coloration of many types of nudibranch is believed to serve as a warning signal to predators, which is enhanced by their ability to glow, especially at night, in deep water or in caves and crevices.

The human eye cannot perceive this biofluorescence, but many predatory fish can.
Nudibranchs are not typical hard-shelled molluscs that rely on a shell for protection.
Instead, they use potent toxins that make any fish attempting to swallow a nudibranch quickly spit it out.
Moreover, nudibranchs can even repurpose the defence mechanisms of the creatures they feed on, such as sea anemones.
They harvest the highly venomous stinging cells from the polyps of these flower-like animals and store them for future use.
When threatened, they unleash the ‘stolen’ stinging capsules to fend off their attacker.

Nudibranchs are ‘simultaneous hermaphrodites’, meaning that they are both male and female at the same time.
This is a significant advantage, as during mating, both partners can fertilise each other.
Their egg masses –usually thousands of tiny eggs – resemble colourful flowers or garlands.
From these eggs, larvae hatch and drift through the sea as part of the plankton for a short time.
During this early stage of life, nudibranchs still have a microscopic shell.
It is only when the larvae develop into small, bottom-dwelling snails that they lose their tiny shell entirely.

Blue-ringed octopus
The blue-ringed octopus is a brilliant example of how fascinating and colourful the underwater world can be. One of the most intelligent invertebrates, this amazing animal is not only smart but also highly toxic. If it feels threatened its rings illuminate several times per second. This is exactly what it does on the first coin in the Luminous Marine Life series. You will be amazed.

Many octopuses can change their skin colour and even their body shape in a flash. Special cells in the skin contain pigments with different colour properties, some of which only reflect light in certain colours when it shines on them. This property is known as ‘iridescence’, which means that different colours appear on a surface depending on the angle of view. Muscle tension can cause these pigments to contract or expand and so the blue-ringed octopus can change the colour of its skin in certain places.

Another amazing thing about the octopus is that it not only has a central brain in its head, but also has other brains in its eight tentacles. This enables octopuses to always have everything under control and to adapt very quickly to their environment. This is why octopuses are considered the smartest invertebrates. Although one of the world’s most venomous marine animals, the blue-ringed octopus can be encountered on bathing beaches in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and therefore comes into contact with humans on a regular basis. The octopus signals its presence with the rapid flashing of its blue rings and is only dangerous to humans if it bites them, which only occurs if it feels very threatened.

Antarctic Krill
It may be tiny, but the Antarctic krill plays an absolutely massive role in the planet’s ecosystem.
Just 6 centimetres in length and weighing no more than 2 grams, the vital little crustacean lights up the third coin in the Luminous Marine Life series.

The Antarctic krill is so important because it is one of the most abundant animal species on Earth and forms the nutritional basis of many other marine animals in Antarctica, including whales, fish, seals, penguins and other seabirds.
If the Antarctic krill is doing well, other species are doing well, too.
Krill themselves feed mainly on diatoms and other plant plankton that they collect on thin bristles on their front legs. In spring, their favourite food consists of microalgae that grow on the underside of drift ice.

Antarctic krill emit light through bio-luminescent organs located in different parts of the body, including the eye-stalk and hips.
The organs have a concave reflector and a lens that guides the light, which is so highly developed it can be compared to that of a torch.

When the special UV torch is shone on the coins’ reverse, the Antarctic krill stands out clearly in the centre, its shell shimmering yellow-orange and legs light blue.
The krill is framed by a wide band, reminiscent of an old-fashioned porthole, that frames the aquatic scene on the coin’s reverse.
As on all the coins in the series, a shell and a starfish can be seen to the left and below.

Stony Coral
Stony Coral, the fifth 3-euro coin in the Luminous Marine Life series, transports you right into the most species-rich of marine habitats – the coral reef.
This is because stony corals use themselves as material to build fantastic living worlds where other sea creatures also thrive, including the clownfish, with its bright orange body and three black-edged white stripes.

Hermatypic or reef-building corals can have the most diverse growth forms.
Most stony coral species excrete calcium carbonate at their base and a calcareous skeleton is formed through a symbiosis with zooxanthellae, unicellular microalgae.
They reproduce by forming new coral calyxes on top of old ones or when coral polyps become independent.
If undisturbed they will continue doing so as long as the seawater remains clean and there is enough sunlight.

Some species of stony coral can live for several hundred years, which may explain why at certain points in the history of Earth, stony coral formed entire islands and archipelagos over thousands of years, such as the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Maldives.
Moreover, about 600,000 years ago, corals began to build the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.
Today, with its 359 species of stony coral, the reef is the largest structure created by living creatures on earth and provides habitat for a multitude of other species.

That said, worldwide coral mortality has been linked to increased surface water temperatures caused by global heating.
Severe ‘coral bleaching’ occurred in 1998 after an occurrence of the El Niño phenomenon in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans when temperatures were 1 to 3°C above the long-term average for months.
To ensure that the ocean habitat remains as diverse and colourful as on the Luminous Marine Life coins, it is thus imperative that we protect it, not least from ourselves.

Deep-sea Anglerfish
As dark and scary as the deep blue sea itself, a black coin like the Deep-sea Anglerfish has never been seen before.
When illuminated with ultraviolet light its secret is revealed as you come face to face with a scary sea monster.
A highlight of Luminous Marine Life, the fourth coin in the 3 euro series is more than worthy of a sea creature that could not be more extraordinary.

With a spherical body, large head and a mouth packed with sharp teeth, deep-sea anglerfish are bizarre-looking creatures found below a depth of 300 metres in all the world's oceans.
With a body length of between 6 centimetres and 1.2 metres, it is amazing how much larger the female is than the male, which tends to reach only a few centimetres in length.

To catch their prey, female deep-sea anglerfish are equipped with a ‘fishing rod’ (illicium) and attached ‘lure’ (esca), which is usually equipped with a luminescent organ.
The internal structure of the esca is complex and includes a bewildering variety of vesicles filled with luminescent bacteria.
In addition to the esca’s luminescent organ, all species of the genus Linophryne possess a light-producing barbel on the hyoid bone.
However, the barbel’s light does not come from light-producing bacteria but from a photogenic granulate lying between the cells.
The independent development of two different light-producing mechanisms in this genus is unique in the natural world.