The South African Mint Company (RF) (PTY) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank, has successfully completed the development and production of its first large format coin range, extending the Big 5 Series ll offering even further.
Today, the Mint announces the launch of Big 5 Series ll Elephant 5oz and 1kg coins, in fine-silver and 24ct gold. The 1kg coins are Africa’s first; the first-ever coins of this size to be produced by a mint on the continent. The 5oz gold coin on the other hand, makes a return following its first appearance in 2017 to commemorate 50 years of the Krugerrand in 2017 and again in 2022 to mark 55 years of the iconic coin.
“While the Mint has been manufacturing full ounce and fractional sized coins for decades, we have only ever attempted large diameter coin production as once-off special edition products to commemorate special anniversaries. We have now joined the preeminent mints of the world in adding these beautiful and extremely rare coin products as a permanent fixture in our portfolio” says Honey Mamabolo, Managing Director of the South African Mint.
The large formats will follow the same sequence of release that the Big 5 series has become famous for, beginning with the elephant design, followed by the lion, rhino, leopard and lastly, the buffalo.
The new coins bear the same design as those of the established 1oz and 1/4oz Big 5 coins. The wider diameter surfaces magnify and enhance the wildlife illustrations commissioned from local artist, Kotie Geldenhuys.
The size of the coins not only makes them impressive objects of art, but it also implies the use of a truly substantial amount of precious metal and a great contribution to the beneficiation of local precious metals. With the 5oz gold at 50mm diameter, the 5oz silver at 64mm, the 1kg gold at 90mm and the 1kg silver at 100mm diameter, the detail, value, and exclusivity of the coins are set to be a compelling attraction for local and international collectors.
“The large diameter of these coins enables us to provide a more engaging experience between the artist and the collector by providing more detail than is possible on smaller coins – they are truly a sight to behold and an offering we are very proud of at the South African Mint. Our R&D and Manufacturing teams have spent countless hours perfecting these products and delivering the award-winning quality we have become known for” Mamabolo concludes.
For further information and instructions on how to place orders for these beautiful coins or any other South African Mint coin products, visit www.samint.co.za.
