Silver Ounce 2016 African Lion, Coin from Congo, Republic of the - detailed information

The Republic of the Congo uses the Central African CFA Franc, which is a common currency of several states in Central Africa.

Apart from the regular circulating coinage - which does not bear an inscription identifying a specific issuing country - the republic has also authorised some foreign mints to issue commemorative and bullion coins under its jurisdiction. These are typically in standard bullion sizes, such as one ounce of silver (abbreviated as 1 oz Ag, where "Ag" comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum), and carry the legend and state symbols of the Republic of the Congo. The coins are legal tender in all member states of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC: abbreviated from the French "Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale").

This coin is the second edition in the African Lion series which features a new design every year, and is issued for various countries.

The lion (Panthera leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body, short, rounded head, round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species, forming groups called prides. A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, the species typically does not actively seek out and prey on humans.

The lion inhabits grasslands, savannas and shrublands. During the Neolithic period, the lion ranged throughout Africa and Eurasia from Southeast Europe to India, but it has been reduced to fragmented populations in sub-Saharan Africa and one population in western India.

One of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoological gardens across the world since the late 18th century. Cultural depictions of lions were prominent in Ancient Egypt, and depictions have occurred in virtually all ancient and medieval cultures in the lion's historic and current range.