Description

The South African Mint celebrates Africa’s unique natural heritage by embodying the strength and beauty of the Big Five in the second series of fine-silver brilliant uncirculated legal tender coins. Boasting a new coin design of Africa’s majestic five, the range will once again depict the Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, and Buffalo in incredible detail on the obverse and reverse sides of the coins. The design on the reverse of the coins in Series II remains the same as that of the previous designs in series I. However, the common obverse of the coins takes on a new look.

Rhinos (Rhinocerotidae) are native to the grasslands and tree savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. The population is estimated to be about 25,000 white and black rhinos, many of which live in Kruger National Park. After elephants, rhinos are the largest and heaviest land-dwelling mammals in the world. Although the "gray colossi," whose diet consists entirely of plants, seem rather cumbersome, they can reach impressive speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. Sight is rather weak in rhinos, but they have a very fine sense of smell and can detect odors over a distance of several hundred meters under favorable wind conditions. These fascinating giants are in extreme need of protection in view of the rising trend of poaching - the African black rhino in particular is considered to be threatened with extinction.

The “Big Five” term originated when big game hunters visited the shores of Africa to shoot for trophies, and locals warned them about the five most dangerous animals in Africa: the Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, and Buffalo.

Artist: J. A. Geldenhuys
Designer: R. C. Stone
Engraver: P. Botes