| Coin | Silver Ounce 2022 Prehistoric Life - Gigantopithecus |
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo normally uses banknotes for circulation, and does not issue coins in the Congolese Franc currency. However, the country has authorised some foreign mints to issue commemorative and bullion coins under its jurisdiction.
Most of them are in standard bullion sizes, including one ounce of silver - such as this coin.
This coin is the seventh issue in the Prehistoric Life series of premium bullion and collector coins, and features Gigantopithecus.
Gigantopithecus belongs to the genus of primates from the family of apes (Hominidae), and lived until 300,000 years ago in the south of China, in northern India and in Pakistan. The largest ape that ever lived reached a height of up to 3 meters and a weight of about half a ton. The closest relative alive today, according to research, is the orangutan; it shares a common ancestor with Gigantopithecus, which probably lived 12 to 10 million years ago. |
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| Obverse | |
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Within a beaded border, the obverse of the coin depicts the Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which consists of a leopard head surrounded by an elephant tusk to the left and a spear to the right. On a ribbon below, the national motto JUSTICE PAIX TRAVAIL (from French: Justice, Peace, Work).
Below the Coat of Arms, in small letters the precious metal of the coin: 1 oz Ag 999.9 (one troy ounce of 99.99% silver; Ag is abbreviated from Argentum, the Latin word for silver).
Around above, the name of the country: REPUBLIQUE DEMOCATIQUE DU CONGO.
Around below, the nominal face value of the coin: · 20 FRANCS ·. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse design features a Gigantopithecus in a jungle landscape interspersed with waterfalls. Above the giant primate are the inscriptions GIGANTOPITHECUS and 8 - 0.3 MIO YEARS BC (i.e. the species lived from about 8 million years until about 300,000 years ago), and the year of issue 2022.
Around above in the rim, the name of the series: PREHISTORIC LIFE.
The rim around below is decorated like the markings of a stopwatch, with periods of Earth's history marked along it: CRETACEOUS 145 - 66 MIO. YEARS BC on the left, TERTIARY 66 - 2.6 MIO. YEARS BC below, and QUATERNARY 2.6 MIO. YEARS BC - TODAY on the right. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
PREHISTORIC LIFE GIGANTOPITHECUS 8 - 0.3 MIO YEARS BC 2022 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated.
Packaging: individual coin in protective capsule, or 20 coins in mint tube. |
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| See also |
Coins in the Prehistoric Life series include:
- 0.5 g Gold, T-Rex, 2020
- 1 oz Silver, T-Rex, 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Plesiosaurus, 2020
- 1 oz Silver, Plesiosaurus, 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Mamenchisaurus, 2020
- 1 oz Silver, Mamenchisaurus, 2020
- 0.5 g Gold, Woolly Mammoth, 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Woolly Mammoth, 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Archaeopteryx, 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Archaeopteryx, 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Quetzalcoatlus, 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Quetzalcoatlus, 2021
- 0.5 g Gold, Gigantopithecus, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Gigantopithecus, 2022
- 0.5 g Gold, Liopleurodon, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Liopleurodon, 2022
- 0.5 g Gold, Parasaurolophus, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Parasaurolophus, 2022
- 0.5 g Gold, Titanoboa, 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Titanoboa, 2023
- 0.5 g Gold, Dunkleosteus, 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Dunkleosteus, 2023
- 0.5 g Gold, Stegosaurus, 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Stegosaurus, 2023
- 0.5 g Gold, Triceratops, 2024
- 1 oz Silver, Triceratops, 2024
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