Scottsdales Congo Silverback series of silver bullion coins grows to three with a 2017 release

Despite venturing out into Marlins, Leopards and Japanese art for their one-ounce silver bullion coin range, we’re back on familiar territory here with the third in Scottsdale Mint’s popular Silverback Gorilla series. A single issue per year began in 2015 with a 50,000 mintage coin issued for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last year saw the mintage rise to 75,000 and that number has been maintained for 2017.

As before, the obverse features the national emblem of this African state and it’s a very attractive design; one fitting in perfectly with the coin theme. The issuer and denomination are inscribed on this face. The reverse face depicts a Silverback Gorilla in its natural habitat, mouth open in what appears to be an act of domination. These are large and impressive animals and the design does a good job of putting that fact across. It is a little close to the 2015 design, but a good one regardless. Hopefully 2018 will see a whole new pose, perhaps incorporating more than one gorilla.

Struck in fine 0.999 silver, collectors seem to be happy with the quality of these and we’d expect this one to be popular as well. Each coin is sold encapsulated either singly or in strips of five coins. Only APMEX have these up at present, but we’d expect availability to spread as the week goes on. Premiums are a little higher than the bigger numbers silver bullion coins, but not excessively so given the mintage and packaging.