The Giraffe kicks off the new World’s Wildlife gold and silver bullion coin series

Another new nature-themed bullion coin to add to the varied selection on the market, ‘World’s Wildlife’ debuts with The Giraffe. Joining old stalwarts like the Somali Elephant and the Rwandan African Ounce, as well as new additions, including the Cheetah, the selection of coins issued for African states has never been broader.

The Giraffe is issued for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and carries their emblem on the obverse. Introduced in 2006, it depicts a leopard head, surrounded by an elephant tusk to the left and a spear to the right. The three words underneath it, Démocratie, Justice, Unité, are French for Democracy, Justice, & Unity. This huge country (world’s 11th largest) has had a tumultuous history, reaching a nadir under Belgian rule in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, when millions died under King Leopold II. It remains a problematic country, despite huge natural resources.

The reverse face image of the giraffe is brilliant. You rarely see these gangly animals depicted in motion, but this one is perfectly realised and we absolutely love it. It helps, no doubt, by being a design done for a four-coin proof set of Giraffe coins, and we suspect that others in that set may make the jump to this bullion series, although we won’t know what the longer-term plans are until the next issue is revealed. The series is called World’s Wildlife, after all, and not the Congo Giraffe.

Two formats on offer and both an ounce in weight. The 0.9999 silver coin has a mintage of 30,000 pieces, while the 0.9999 gold variant is capped at an altogether rarer 1,000 pieces. A terrific debut coin, we look forward to getting our hands on one for a closer look. Available to order now, with shipping starting in a few weeks time. Availability seems widespread, with sponsors like LPM having them up already.