National Geographic and the South African Mint have launched a limited edition coin series called the National Geographic Big Cats Coin Program. The new program includes five unique issues and benefits National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative, which aims to combat the decline of these animals in the wild. The reverse designs highlight the cheetah, a threatened species famous for being the world’s fast moving animal.
The two rand silver issue is composed of one ounce of 92.5% silver and is currently available for $49.95. The mintage limit has been set at 7,700.
The coin’s reverse carries a closeup image of a cheetah on the left side, with with two depictions of cheetahs running at full speed on the right. The monetary denomination “R2” is featured near the bottom, with the weight and metal composition inscribed along the rim.
The obverse includes the South African coat of arms at its center, with the year, 2016, presented on either side of the design. The silver coin also features inscriptions detailing the official languages of South Africa, which do not appear on the gold issues.
The gold Cheetah coins are available in four sizes, each with a unique reverse design. All four coins are composed of 99.99% gold.
The 1/10-oz. coin carries a denomination of 20 rand and features a reverse image of cheetahs cleaning one another. The 1/4-oz. coin has a face value of 50 rand and bears a depiction of a cheetah mid-stride. They are currently available for $299 and $795, respectively.
The 1/2-oz. coin has a face value of 100 rand; its reverse image portrays two cheetahs in profile. The 1-ounce coin carries a denomination of 200 rand and has a reverse design similar to the 1-ounce silver issue, but features more of the surrounding landscape in the background. These coins are currently available for $1,495 and $2,795, respectively.
The National Geographic Big Cats “Cheetah” coins all carry a Proof finish and are distributed by GovMint. NGC-graded 1-ounce silver issues (pictured below) are also available through ModernCoinMart.
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