OUTSIDE THE TUBE DESIGNS

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This page displays all of the Phish Coins that I have designed from 2004 – Present.

The coins are displayed in reverse order.  Scroll down to see older Phish Coins.

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Above is the 20th Anniversary Island Tour Coin (200) debuted in April of 2018

The 20th Anniversary Island Tour Coin has been in my head for several years, and is only the 2nd retrospective coin that I have designed in the 15 years that I have been doing this! The only other retrospective coin I have designed is my 10th Anniversary Big Cypress Coin, which has been sold out for many years.

Last summer’s Baker’s Dozen at MSG was one for the ages, and we are so lucky to be getting served up like that this late into the game. But when I reminisce about historic runs in Phish’s career, The Island Tour always strikes me as one of the major peaks for them as a band. In my opinion, it is the best 4 night run in the band’s history! If you were there, I am sure you likely agree. And when was the last time that it felt like Phish was just chomping at the bit to get back to the stage?  The answer: The Island Tour.

When I began working on the design for this coin, it became clear to me that a nautical theme was most appropriate. Both Long Island and Rhode Island have strong coastal cultures, and I always try to work elements into my designs that capture the vibe of the areas in which the shows occurred. What better represents the Long Island / Rhode Island regions than the lighthouse? Both are peppered with lighthouses along their rugged coastlines, so a lighthouse appears on each side of the 20th Anniversary Island Tour Coin. Both are iconic lighthouses that still stand strong to this day in each locale.

Featured on the Long Island side of the coin is Devil’s Stepping Stones Lighthouse, which happens to be the closest lighthouse in proximity to Nassau Coliseum, making it the perfect tie-in to the Island Tour’s Long Island shows there on April 2-3, 1998. Several song references were woven into the design of The Island Tour Coin, and I tried to do this as cohesively as possible.  The Long Island side of this coin contains a dozen references to songs played during this historic 2 night run at Nassau Coliseum:

Tube (an asteroid is about to crash into Long Island Sound, so nothing will burn), Horn (the fog horn at the top of the lighthouse), PYITE (the kayak parked on a stone), Simple (the fog horn is my interpretation of what a be-bo-phone would look like), Birds of a Feather (the duo of seagulls circling above the lighthouse), Wolfman’s Brother (the stairway to the stars, in this case to the lighthouse), Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley (the sailboat is is being navigated by Sally, who is using the lighthouse to sneak through the alley of deeper water known as The Devil’s Belt, just north of the lighthouse), Frankie Says (the whirlpool of water in front of the lighthouse is the earth spinning beside itself, which will suck you in), Twist (a double reference relating to the whirlpool of water), Halley’s Comet (is it an asteroid or a comet?), Roses Are Free (the rose in the foreground to the left of the lighthouse), and last but not least, Piper (words are the words I sailed upon – Sally’s sailboat drifting behind the lighthouse).

The Rhode Island side of the 20th Anniversary Island Tour Coin contains no less than 22 song references (maybe there are more, just use your imagination) relating to the legendary shows at the Providence Civic Center on April 4-5, 1998. As with the Long Island Side of the coin, some of these references are literal, while others are more situational:

The focal point of the Rhode Island side of the 20th Anniversary Island Tour Coin is the colossal squid attacking the ship as it enters Providence Harbor. Squids are categorized as bottom feeders, and are often encountered at incredible depths. This serves as a Theme from the Bottom reference, but the scene has many song references within it. Among them are Limb By Limb (the squids arms), Down with Disease & David Bowie (both painted on the side of the ship), McGrupp & the Watchful Hosemasters (the middle mast of the ship is actually a shepherd’s crook), Prince Caspian (sailing upon the sea), Bathtub Gin (all of the people on the ship are about to take [though not loving it] a bath), Shafty (the crew of the ship may think that they’re doing just fine as they sleep under the full moon, but that false sense of security is all just in their minds as the colossal squid silently attacks), and Taste (all the squid wants is a taste for free).

Split Open and Melt is also worked into this scene (the ship is about to split open as a result of the squid attack), as is Cavern (before the crew of the ship slips into the night, they will certainly get something to drink), and the impending death in this scene is a nod to Possum, which contemplates the fine line between life and death. Finally, the front two sails of the ship honor the incredible Oh Kee Pah Ceremony > You Enjoy Myself opener on the final night of The Island Tour.

The duo of seagulls was apparently impressed enough with the two shows at Nassau Coliseum that they decided to make the (very wise) trip up to Providence for the pair of shows that would close out this all-too-brief mini tour. This pays homage to the only song repeated on The Island Tour… Birds of a Feather.  The iconic Providence Power Station smokestacks that loom over Providence Harbor is featured to the right of the squid attack, and serves as a Cities reference with the words “Dry Ice Factory” blanketing the lower part of the facility. This Dry Ice Factory also doubles as a Tweezer reference (step into the freezer). On the opposite side of the mouth of Providence Harbor is a lighthouse which serves as a Sparkle reference, and a Hood Dairy Blimp flies overhead as an obvious nod to the incredible Harry Hood encore on the first night of the 2 night run in Providence. The pattern of the waves creates a maze of sorts, and lastly, an astronaut floats in outer space in front of the full moon, serving as an homage to the incredible 2001 played in Providence on The Island Tour.

I hope you dig the 20th Anniversary Island Tour Coin as much as I do, and as always…

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

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Above is the SOLD OUT Baker’s Dozen Coin (300) debuted in May of 2017

The Baker’s Dozen Coin was inspired by the video that announced the run online. The band pretty much set the tone for a Donut theme from the get-go, so this design came to me pretty quickly. I have always thought about designing a coin with a hole in the middle, as this was a fairly common practice in many ancient cultures.  The hole in this coin also pays homage to the old NYC Subway tokens, a fitting parallel to the Baker’s Dozen Run at Madison Square Garden.

I wanted this coin to be Donut themed on both sides, and nothing fits the Phish mold better than a little bit of Simpson’s mixed in with a little bit of Phishiness.  Therefore, this coin gives a nod to the Simpson’s Forbidden Donut (my favorite episode) and also Fishman’s Donut pattern on his mumu. That pretty much sums it all up, a nice and simple convergence of two of my favorite things in life…

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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Above is the Harpua Flipping Coin (300) debuted in May of 2016

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 221 Harpua Flipping Coins remaining out of 300

The Harpua Coin has been floating around in my head for years, but I have to say that the Harpua “Thank You” Encore to close out the 2015 Summer Tour pushed the idea to the forefront.  The Harpua Coin is the 4th Song-Themed Flipping Coin that I have designed, following in the footsteps of the Maze/Bowie Coin, the Sanity Coin and the Tube Coin.  Of all of my Song-Themed Flipping Coins, the Harpua Coin epitomizes the decision-making purpose of my Flipping Coins.

The Harpua Coin quite simply says “I Don’t Want” on one side, and in opposition to this statement, “I Want” on the obverse side.  This duality is garnered from the end of the song Harpua, when young Jimmy is presented with the option of replacing his dear (dead) cat Poster Nutbag with a goldfish.  Jimmy doesn’t want a goldfish though, he wants a dog.

On the Goldfish Side of the Harpua Coin, there are a couple of subtle Phish references, hopefully you can find them!  The goal on this coin was to keep things super simple, so I went very minimalistic in this design.  The Bulldog Side of the Harpua Coin was inspired by the opening verse of the song, “Fat sweaty bulldog, stood in the sun…”  As you can see, there is a shadow under the dog from the sun high above, and he has drool dripping off if his jowls, as this is how dogs perspire.

The Harpua Coin will help you make those difficult decisions in life.  The Bulldog Side embraces the adventurous and spontaneous facet of life, and the Goldfish Side represents caution and reservation.  Life will be so much easier with the Harpua Coin in your hands!  Let the Harpua Coin make those difficult decisions for you…

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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Above is the Riviera Maya 2016 Coin (300) debuted in November 2015

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 22 Riviera Maya Coins remaining out of 300

The Riviera Maya 2016 Coin is my first show-themed coin since my Hampton Coliseum 2013 Coin. The inspiration for this design was taken partly from the classic Mayan Calendar style, into which I incorporated Phish-themed animals. The matching birds at the top and bottom are my nod to Birds of a Feather, there are 4 out of control Antelopes, and 4 fish feeding from the bottom and from the top, a Theme from the Bottom reference. The centerpiece of the calendar is a prehistoric fish with the classic Mayan tongue extended out of the mouth. There was supposed to be something on the tongue, but it somehow got missed in production… bummer!

On the flip-side of the Riviera Maya 2016 coin is a clean and simple compass rose design. This harkens back to the Age of Exploration, which brought about the untimely demise of the Mayan Empire which thrived in the region where these shows are being held. Spanish conquistadors used the compass to help them find the New World, which they subsequently looted and pillaged until the Mayans (among other cultures) were forced into a diaspora of sorts. The color sweep across the compass rose is a nod to the colors of the Mexican Flag. In honor of the Southern-most Phish shows ever (for now), the lyric “We follow the lines going south” seemed an appropriate way to pay homage to one of Phish’s finest songs, “The Curtain.”

The Riviera Maya 2016 Coin was minted in a limited run of 300 sequentially numbered coins. First come-first served, so if there are certain numbers you might want, don’t snooze! As always, the coins are $20 each plus USPS Tracking shipping and handling charges.

Prices Shipped USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108… (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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Above is the 10th Anniversary Maze/Bowie Coin (300) debuted in October 2014

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 106 Maze/Bowie 3.0 Coins remaining out of 300

The 10th Anniversary Maze/Bowie Coin was minted to be debuted in Las Vegas over the 2014 Halloween Run. It is only fitting that the Maze/Bowie Coin resurface in the city where Phish Coins made their debut in 2004!  The Maze/Bowie Coin has always proved to be my most popular and demanded coin, quickly selling out in 2004 with the original design, and again when I minted a 2nd Edition at Hampton for the 20009 Reunion Run.

Needless to say, I have had lots of time to mull over the decisions I made with the original design, and one thing always struck me… how did I overlook the idea of a David Bowie visage from the movie Labyrinth?  This inspired me to rework and redefine the Maze/Bowie Coin concept, including a totally different approach to the Maze design too. The above picture tells the whole story, I need not explain how Labyrinth and Maze tie into a common theme here.  David Bowie is presented as Jareth, the evil Goblin King from Jim Henson’s last production in a brilliant career!  If you missed the first two releases of the Maze/Bowie Coin, here is your chance to get your hands on one.

If you have the original, now it can have a companion.  The 10th Anniversary Maze/Bowie Coin continues my shift back into the world of song related flipping coins, as I plan to stay away from show coins until it is clear that Phish isn’t going that route any longer. Unfortunately, it does not not look like that is going to happen any time soon.  Next up in this series will likely be a Spit Open & Melt Coin, maybe in the spring!

As with all previous Phish Coins, the 10th Anniversary Maze/Bowie Coin is 1.75″ in diameter, 3mm in thickness, has a reeded edge like a quarter, and has an antique silver finish.  The 10th Anniversary Coin was minted in a limited run of 300 coins, and is priced as follows:

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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Above is the  Tube Coin (200) debuted in April 2014

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 28 Tube Coins remaining out of 200

The Tube Coin marks my third journey into the world of the Phish Song “Flipping” Coins, following on the heels of the Maze/Bowie Coin and the Sanity Coin.  The inspiration for this coin was obviously the opening verse of the Phish classic “Tube” when Trey sings “An asteroid crashed and nothing burned.  It made me wonder, do tigers sleep in lily patches?  Do rhinos run from thunder?”

To depict this opening verse of the song, I placed a tiger sleeping amongst some tiger lilies alongside a body of water containing a patch of lily pads.  In the background looms an acacia tree with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance.  An asteroid is crashing into the mountain, yet nothing burns.

On the obverse side of the Tube Coin, a rhinoceros runs across the African savannah on the other side of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the sleeping tiger.  Storm clouds are moving in quickly, and two bolts of lightning are crashing down around the acacia trees, causing the rhinoceros to run for its life.

As with all previous Phish Coins, the Tube Coin is 1.75″ in diameter, 3mm in thickness, has a reeded edge like a quarter, and has an antique silver finish.  Both sides of the Tube Coin are presented in dramatic 3-D relief.

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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Above is the 2012 BGCA Coin (300) debuted in June 2012

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 158 BGCA 2012 Coins remaining out of 300

The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Coin was the obvious choice for a coin commemorating Leg 2 of the 2012 Summer Tour.  An historic venue dating to the Roaring Twenties, a 3 night run indoors on Summer Tour…   What more could you ask for?  I wanted to capture the essence of San Francisco in this coin, which was challenging as San Francisco is such an iconic city.

The venue itself is a landmark, so I had to dedicate one side of the coin to the BGCA.  I wanted to slip in a Grateful Dead reference for obvious reasons, so I used a lightning bolt striking the top of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium to double as the “V” in Civic.  This coin captures the grandeur of the BGCA in similar fashion to my Greek Theatre Coin from Summer 2010.

 On the obverse side I chose to go with the San Francisco Cable Car.  On the front of the Cable Car it reads “Summer Tour 2012″ and “City by the Bay” across the banners, and the bumper of the Cable Car has the Taste lyric “If I could see through fog that surrounds” stamped on it.  The conductor of the Cable Car is impatiently waiting to board the car and move on to Market Street before the first set begins…

The BGCA Coin was minted in a limited run of 300 coins.  As always, the coin is 1.75″ in diameter, has a reeded edge, is sequentially numbered from 1-300, and has an antique silver finish.  All number requests should be handled by mail before the run to avoid any accidental sales of your desired number.

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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Above is the NYE 2011 Coin (300) which debuted in  December 2011

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 23 NYE 2011 Coins remaining out of 300

The inspiration for the 2011 NYE Coin was simple.  I wanted the coin to be very NYC, while incorporating symbolism relating to both Phish and Madison Square Garden.

On one side, I re-worked the classic design of a New York City manhole cover.  The circular and silver nature of the manhole cover struck me as the perfect fit for one side of this coin.  As a child growing up in New York City, manhole covers like this were among my first fascinations, as I wondered what lay beneath them.  Instead of reading “N.Y.C. SEWER” however, the manhole cover reads “N.Y.C. NEW YEARS.”   It turns out that “NEW YEARS” is actually an anagram for “A  N.Y.  SEWER,” so there is a bit of double entendre there.  This design also drifts into the realm of the maze design on my original coin.

On the other side, I decided to pay homage to the Duke Ellington standard “Take the ‘A’ Train” that Phish covered 118 times between 1987 and 1994.  Only 8 cover songs have been performed live more times by Phish, so the song holds its own in Phish lore.  This side of the coin depicts a 1920s ‘A’ Train emerging from a tunnel as it pulls into Penn Station, which is a stop for patrons attending M.S.G.  The subway is littered with symbolism relating to the band, the venue and shows themselves.  The four lights on the front of the subway car contain the letters “J, E, M & P” in them. The dates for the 2011 New Years Run appear on the door, and I threw a couple of my favorite lot stickers onto the train, suggesting that it had been tagged by a phan. The sign at the top of the train reads “MSG” and the words “NYC” & “NYE” appear in the oval lights on the ‘A’ Train.

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

Above is the Bethel Woods(tock) Coin (300) which debuted May 2011

Update: As of 8/22/17 there are 133 Bethel Woods(tock) Coins remaining out of 300

For one side of the Bethel Woods(tock) Coin I designed a tribute to the original Woodstock logo with the acoustic guitar and dove, but worked in a Phishy spin. Instead of an acoustic guitar, I depicted as accurately as possible the new “Ocedoc” guitar currently being used by Trey.  Instead of a dove, I placed the Famous Mockingbird on the neck of the guitar.

As a spin-off from the original phrase “An Aquarian Exposition in White Lake, NY” I changed it to read “A Piscean Exposition in Bethel, NY” and did so for two reasons. First, we are not actually at the dawning of the Age of Aquarius as some seemed to think in the mid 1960s, we are still in the Age of Pisces.  I am not an astrology kind of guy… there is actually a scientific element to this.  Secondly, the symbol for Pisces is a fish, so I couldn’t resist the double entendre.  Instead of using the original “2 Days of Peace and Music” phrase, I changed it to read “3 More Days of Peace & Music” since that is exactly what will go down this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend!

As for the flip side of the Bethel Woods(tock) Coin, I created a scene that blends Memorial Day history with a dose of Gamehendge imagery and symbolism.  The Rhombus in the center of the design is a tribute to the Tony Smith’s “New Piece” sculpture which can be found “somewhere” in New Jersey, in Trey’s old stomping grounds.  The Rhombus serves as a tribute to the ultimate Memorial Day symbol in my eyes, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  I am calling this Rhombus “The Tomb of the Unknown Lizard” and the scene portrays a lizard rejoicing in the overthrow of King Wilson, as symbolized by the memorial wreath of poppies featuring the historic Crest of Prussia in the middle.  The poppy flower has been tied to Memorial Day since the early 1900s when women used to sell them to raise money for decorating the tombs of fallen soldiers on Memorial Day.  This holiday in fact was originally called “Decorating Day” for this reason.

The Rhombus was a sacred site at which the Lizards would pray to Icculus.  The sky above has the clouds parting with the sun between, representing The Divided Sky, and the two “Gateways to Gamehendge” are represented by the Nitrous Oxide tank with the word “Kung” written on it.  The Helping Friendly Book lies on the ground, having been retrieved by the Famous Mockingbird, and the tree to the right of the Rhombus is a Weeping Fikus, commonly known as the “Tree of Knowledge” which is mentioned in Colonel Forbin’s Ascent.

Prices Shipped w/ USPS Tracking:  1=$24, 2=$45, 3=$66, 4=$87, 5=$108…  (add $21 per extra coin)

Paypal to phishcoins@gmail.com or email me if you would prefer to send a USPS Money Order.

The easiest way to purchase items is to visit my “Outside the Tube Designs” Etsy Page:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phishcoins

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