Silver Ounce 2019 Turaco, Coin from South Africa - detailed information

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 and metals, such as a silver one-ounce (1 oz) format. These include silver 1 oz Krugerrands, the Protea series, the Natura series, as well as one-year types that do not fall into a particular series. Some are made of Sterling silver (92.5%) alloyed with copper, just like the British pre-decimal Crown coins, and some are 99.9% silver. The Sterling versions are overall heavier though, so they also contain exactly one ounce of pure silver or 1oz Absolute Silver Weight (1.000 oz ASW); they are called "Crowns" in the "Crown and Tickey" coin sets in which some of them are issued, and are officially denominated as two, five or ten Rands.

This coin, denominated as Ten Rands (R 10) is part of the fourth series of South African coloured coins by the South African Mint, which celebrates Africa’s unique natural heritage and depicts various colourful birds and plants. It features a purple-crested turaco bird.

The 2019 colour coin range illustrates the beautiful fauna and flora of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve, situated in the North Eastern section of South Africa which includes two of South Africa’s key tourism sites - the Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon. One of the leading international floral hotspots, the Wolkberg Region, is also included. The Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve is the largest biosphere reserve in South Africa, and the third-largest in the world.

The South African Mint says about the coin:
"The purple-crested turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus) is a fairly large bird (up to 43 centimetres) with striking crimson flight feathers that is a common resident in moist woodlands and in coastal and riverine forests. It has a distinctive call and can easily be identified by its dark purple crest on a metallic green head and its red-ringed eyes. The reverse of this R10 sterling-silver 1oz coin features an adult with its flight feathers on display, moving in the canopy of the escarpment, looking eastwards over the Blyde River Dam."