Molybdenum medal by Metallium, Inc. Photo used by permission.
Diameter 19 mm, 4.4 grams, 99.9% pure. $16 on 6/9/2006
Most coin blanks are punched from rolled sheets of metal. These are cut from the end of a rod, similar to the old Spanish colonial "cob" coins - though with much finer 21st century precision. In the seller's words:
"These pure molybdenum coins are the only 1 ounce molybdenum coins in the world (as far as I know). They have been hand cut from .9995 pure molybdenum rod (certificate with coin giving complete analysis) , hand polished and then deburred and stamped using special steel for the dies. The minting is of the highest quality. The coins weigh over 1 ounce each with some small variation because they are hand cut. First year minting (2008) is dedicated to a soon-to-be molybdenum miner; Mercator Minerals Ltd."
Molybdenum medal by Metallium, Inc. Photo used by permission.
Diameter 19 mm, 4.4 grams, 99.9% pure. $16 on 6/9/2006
Molybdenum is a very tough, hard metal used to strengthen steel alloys. It is so hard in fact, that it is not very suitable for coins, as it would wear out the dies too fast.
The above medal is sold by Dave Hamric (eBay userid hamric) of Metallium, Inc. Apparently it was very difficult to make, due to the hardness of molybdenum.
Iles Crozet, Territories Antarctique, 20 Francs 2005
Molybdenum fantasy issue by Fred Zinkann. Diameter 22mm. $25 on 5/6/2006.
Fred Zinkann (eBay userid equillink) makes some fantasy pieces in Molybdenum. Apparently these were also difficult to make due to the hardness of molybdenum, because although the design is identical to his Tantalum Crozet coin, it did not strike up as well.
There are no molybdenum circulating legal tender coins.