| Coin | Silver Five Ounces 2022 Big Five - Lion |
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South Africa pioneered modern bullion coinage when it first issued the gold 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 and metals, such as a silver five-ounce (5 oz) format. The coins contain exactly five ounces of pure silver, or 5oz Absolute Silver Weight (5.000 oz ASW).
This is the second coin of The Big Five II ("II" meaning second iteration) 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 coins in the series are issued every 6 months, starting with the Elephant and the Lion in 2019. The male lion symbolises royalty and strength in some African cultures, while the lioness represents femininity and motherhood. The 2022 design features a new rendition of the lion on the obverse. For the creation of this coin, the South African Mint credits: Paul Botes (die-sinker), JA Geldenhuys (artist) and RC Stone (designer).
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. |
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| Obverse | |
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Most of the surface area of the obverse is taken by the close-up image of a male lion's head.
Below, surrounded by two curved ornaments reminiscent of ivory tusks, the legend SOUTH AFRICA is separated from the inscription BIG FIVE 2022 by a small Coat of Arms of South Africa. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the lion coin bears an inspired design of two halves of a lion’s face, side-by-side. This is done so that when two of the coins are placed next to each other, a complete image of the face of a lion is seen (as seen in the double-capsule proof set). When multiple coins are placed next to each other, a pride of lions can be seen.
In a small circle at centre, the mass of the coin 5 OZ is surrounded by its face value FIVE RAND above and the composition Ag 999 below (Ag is abbreviated from Argentum, which means "silver" in Latin and is used internationally on silver bullion coinage).
In the lower left, small letters PB represent the initials of the die-sinker (engraver) Paul Botes. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
FIVE RAND 5 OZ Ag 999 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Silver content (troy oz): 5.000
Finish: proof.
Packaging: in presentation box, with a Certificate of Authenticity. |
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| 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
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