Mint21 Week: Hear me roar! The King of the Jungle flexes his vocals with a dynamic Lion coin

Mint 21 week continues with a classic look at the mighty Panthera Leo, known to us more commonly as the Lion. Now, the Lion is hardly a rare subject in the numismatic world, but the quality of those around is quite variable, as are the styles. The most popular of those is probably when the beast is incorporated into heraldic designs, like The Queen’s Beast’s, Una & the Lion, and the Czech Lion, amongst others.

This new coin, titled Panthera Leo, has gone the semi-realistic route, choosing to maintain general anatomical accuracy, although with a subtle nod to classical sculpture, perhaps. Whatever the inspiration, it’s yet another gorgeous coin. Extra kudos to Mint21 for providing actual close-up images of their coins rather than simply renders. We can see the quality of the strike quite clearly and it’s very impressive. Tons of definition, no quirks in perspective or scale, the sculptor responsible is clearly adept at using the small ‘canvas’ offered by a coin without obvious compromise.

All that is for nought if the coin isn’t aesthetically pleasing, and while looks are always in the eye of the beholder, we feel very safe in calling this one a win. A profile of a roaring lion on one side, and a view of a baobob tree strewn savanna on the obverse pretty much encapsulates this quite magnificent creature. Another two-ounce, high-relief coin with a 500 mintage, we’d consider this one of the best big cat coins we’ve seen for some time. Available to order now with shipping coming around June.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

At all times, a lion is considered to be the “King of Beasts”. In this coin, his character is depicted in his emotions: we see him as a strong, majestic, and ferocious animal. In general, a lion is the image of royalty and the embodiment of heroic onset. It symbolizes power, stability, courage, and dignity.

It can be seen with the naked eye that the creator of this coin tries to do it as detailed as possible. He pays special attention to each and every detail in order to emphasize the values of the classic and masterful drawing of the author. The coin has high relief and an antique finish that also makes it so special.

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION 2,000 Francs CFA (Cameroon)
COMPOSITION 0.999 silver
WEIGHT 62.2 grams
DIMENSIONS 50.0 mm
FINISH Antique
MODIFICATIONS High-relief
MINTAGE 500
BOX / C.O.A. Yes / Yes