| Coin | Gold Ounce 2024 Big Five - Elephant, Proof |
|---|
|
South Africa pioneered modern bullion coinage when it first issued the Krugerrand on 3 July 1967 to help market South African gold; it is the first modern bullion coin and is still issued today.
Gradually, the South African Mint started diversifying the range, first by issuing fractional Krugerrands, then by introducing different designs to the gold one-ounce (1 oz) format. These include the Protea series, the Natura series, as well as one-year types that do not fall into a particular series. The Kruggerands retained their specifications (22-carat gold) while other coins issued after 1994 are 99.99% gold; just as the Krugerrand though, they contain exactly one ounce of pure gold or 1oz Absolute Gold Weight (1.000 oz AGW).
This is the first design in the Big Five III series by the South African Mint, which celebrates Africa’s unique natural heritage by embodying the strength and beauty of the Big Five animals on legal tender coins.
The “Big Five” term originated when big game hunters visited the shores of Africa to shoot for trophies, and locals warned them about the five most dangerous animals in Africa: the Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, and Buffalo. The series started in 2019 with the Elephant, with a new design featuring another animal issued every six months thereafter. The second edition of the series started with the Elephant again in 2021. This coin is the first in the third cycle of the series, Big Five III; it differs from the previous two by an updated obverse design.
For the creation of this coin, the South African Mint credits: Paul Botes (die-sinker/engraver), JA Geldenhuys (artist) and RC Stone (designer). |
|
|
| Obverse | |
|---|
Most of the surface area of the obverse is taken by a full-body depiction of an adult African elephant walking on rocky terrain.
In small letters below left (above the T in SOUTH), the engraver's initials PB (for Paul Botes).
Below, surrounded by two curved ornaments reminiscent of ivory tusks, the legend SOUTH AFRICA is separated from the inscription BIG FIVE 2024 by a small Coat of Arms of South Africa. |
|
|
| Reverse | |
|---|
The reverse of the elephant coin bears the ingenious design of two halves of an elephant’s face, side-by-side. The ear, tusk, eyes, and part of the nose of each of these halves are prominent in this design, which gives one complete face when two coins are placed next to each other. When multiple coins are placed next to each other, a herd is formed.
In a small circle at centre, the mass of the coin 1 OZ is surrounded by its face value FIFTY RAND above and the composition Au 999.9 below (Au is abbreviated from Aurum, which means "gold" in Latin and is used internationally on gold bullion coinage).
Near the lowest part of the rim, small letters PB represent the initials of the die-sinker (engraver) Paul Botes. |
|
| Reverse Inscription |
FIFTY RAND 1 OZ Au 999.9 |
|---|
|
| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
|
| Notes | Finish: proof.
Packaging: in luxury timber box, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity (500 coins), or in a set with a Krugerrand with an elephant privy mark (100 coins).
Release date: September 2024.
Release price: R 64,995.00. |
|---|
|
|
| See also |
Coins in the Big Five series (ordered by metal / size / design / year):
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five - Elephant, 2019
- 1 oz Platinum Bullion, Big Five - Elephant, 2020
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 1 oz Platinum Bullion, Big Five - Elephant, 2022
- 1 oz Platinum Bullion, Big Five - Elephant, 2023
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five - Lion, 2019
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five - Rhino, 2020
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five - Leopard, 2020
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five - Buffalo, 2021
- 1 oz Platinum Proof, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
- 1 kg Gold Proof, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 1 kg Gold Proof, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 1 kg Gold Proof, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 1 kg Gold Proof, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 1 kg Gold Proof, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
- 5 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 5 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 5 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 5 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 5 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five - Elephant, 2019
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 1 oz Gold Bullion, Big Five - Elephant, 2022
- 1 oz Gold Bullion, Big Five - Elephant, 2023
- 1 oz Gold Bullion, Big Five - Elephant, 2024
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five III - Elephant, 2024
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five - Lion, 2019
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five - Rhino, 2020
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five - Leopard, 2020
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five - Buffalo, 2021
- 1 oz Gold Proof, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
- 1/4 oz Gold, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 1/4 oz Gold, Big Five III - Elephant, 2024
- 1/4 oz Gold, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 1/4 oz Gold, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 1/4 oz Gold, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 1/4 oz Gold, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
- 1 kg Silver, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 1 kg Silver, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 1 kg Silver, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 1 kg Silver, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 5 oz Silver, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 5 oz Silver, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 5 oz Silver, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 5 oz Silver, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 5 oz Silver, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five - Elephant, 2019
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five II - Elephant, 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five III - Elephant, 2024
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five - Lion, 2019
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five II - Lion, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five - Rhino, 2020
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five II - Rhino, 2022
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five - Leopard, 2020
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five II - Leopard, 2023
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five - Buffalo, 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Big Five II - Buffalo, 2023
|
|---|
|
Search for South Africa: Gold Ounce 2024 Big Five - Elephant, Proof on eBay 