Every year, a new series of Compass Rose themed geocoins has been produced by one of the major coin manufacturers. They have become much sought after items, with detailed designs and carefully thought out colours and 3D elements. The 2011 Compass Rose Geocoin® was released in December 2011, and maintains that tradition, with a series of designs that celebrate the role the sun has played in navigation through the ages. Using the sun to determine your longitude has been a trick of navigators for over a thousand years. As the tools become more sophisticated, the basic principles haven't changed much.

The compass rose design element that features on each of the coins in the series has been based on a design in a map produced in 1613. Artistic maps such as this one were sold as display pieces, rather than as navigational aids. The compass rose on this source map takes up almost half the world.

Each of the versions of the 2011 Compass Rose Geocoin use different metal designs. Some are raised, others recessed. Combined with different colour and finish combinations, the end result is a unique series of coins.

The rear of the coin depicts the Copernican astronomical system, and the ring around the outside of the coin shows the signs of the zodiac in proper alignments. A Swarovski gemstone for each plant, finishes off the design.

This coin, the Daybreak coin, produced in black nickel, and with a raised front - celebrates the moment when the sun first rises about the horizon, letting navigators mark that location to derive their latitude.