Silver Three Ounces 2021 Slavic Beastiary - Rusalka, Coin from Cameroon - detailed information

The Republic of Cameroon uses the Central African CFA Franc as its currency; it is the common currency of six independent states in central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The CFA Franc has both common and national issues. All common circulating coins are issued under the authority of CEMAC ("Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale" - Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) and have no issuing country. Separately, each member country can strike coins bearing its national symbols; these coins are legal tender in the other members of the bloc too.

Cameroon has authorised some foreign mints to strike coins under its issuing authority for collector's purposes. These are usually dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to the country itself. Many of them are in sizes based on the troy ounce, including the large three ounces (3oz) of silver format.

This coloured silver coin featuring the Rusalka is the first design in the Slavic Beastiary series.

The mint says about it:
In Slavic mythology rusalkas were demonic creatures inhabiting forests, fields and bodies of water. They were imagined as beautiful, naked girls with long, loose hair. They laughed loudly and sang. They appeared during the new moon and attracted young men to them. If anyone approached them, the hair of the mermaids turned green and their faces twisted. The rusalkas would kill lured people who touched them. It was believed that maidens who died before they could get married became rusalkas.