Africa's Wildlife in Gold

Africa's Wildlife in Gold: Ten Wild Animals, One Set of Pure Fine Gold

• Design: At the centre, a roaring lion in Proof quality, framed by African ornamentation. The reverse side brings together all of the Big Five. In addition, there are nine animal portraits, from the elephant, leopard, rhinoceros and buffalo to the giraffe, zebra, gorilla, cheetah and springbok.
• Material / Fineness: All ten coins are struck from genuine fine gold. The lion has a fineness of 999.9/1,000, while the nine mini coins have 999/1,000. Together, the set contains 0.43 g of pure gold.
• Manufacturer: The 1/200 oz Lion is an exclusive edition from Kettner Edelmetalle. The nine mini coins come from the traditional Swiss house Valcambi.
• Mintage: Only 1,000 pieces of the 2026 Lion exist. Each mini coin is limited to 50,000 pieces.

Savannah, rainforest, endless grass plains: hardly any continent has wildlife as rich as Africa's. This set brings it into your home in the form of ten small gold coins. It is not a souvenir, but physical precious metal. The centrepiece is the 1/200 oz Gold Big Five Lion 2026. Around it lie nine miniature coins, each in its own coin card. Anyone who loves animals while also valuing substance gets both in one set here.

The King of the Savannah in Proof Quality

At first glance, it's clear who is in charge here. With jaws wide open, the lion strides through tall grass. Its mane is sculpted in countless individual strands. Against the dark, mirrored background, the golden animal almost seems to step out of the coin. A geometric diamond band around the edge recalls African tribal art. The inscription reads "LION" and "AFRICAN BIG FIVE 2026". Proof is the highest minting quality: the field shines like a mirror, while the design stands out in striking contrast.

On the reverse of the coin, the entire quintet can be seen: elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros and buffalo. The term Big Five originates from big-game hunting, referring to the five animals that were hardest to hunt on foot. Today, they stand for the fascination of the African wilderness and are among the most popular designs in modern numismatics. The issuing country is the Republic of Liberia, with a face value of 25 dollars. The Lion comes in an elaborately designed coin card. The front shows a lion with tribal patterns set against a glowing savannah sky. The back shows the Big Five beneath the inscription "WHERE THE WILD REIGNS".

Nine Animals, Nine Coin Cards: What's Included in the Set

Alongside the Lion are nine mini coins in the 1/1,000 oz format. Each one is housed in its own card featuring a lifelike photo of the animal. Along the lower edge of the card runs a black silhouette of acacia trees and wild animals. The remaining four Big Five designs are issued by the Republic of Chad. The giraffe, zebra, gorilla, cheetah and springbok come from Gabon. The front of the mini coins bears the respective national coat of arms.

1. 1/200 oz Gold Big Five Lion 2026 (mintage: 1,000 | Proof), 0.16 g
2. Gold Big Five Elephant, 0.03 g
3. Gold Big Five Leopard, 0.03 g
4. Gold Big Five Rhinoceros Coin, 0.03 g
5. Gold Big Five Buffalo Coin, 0.03 g
6. Gold Giraffe Coin, 0.03 g
7. Gold Zebra Coin, 0.03 g
8. Gold Gorilla Coin, 0.03 g
9. Gold Cheetah Coin, 0.03 g
10. Gold African Springbok Coin, 0.03 g

Despite a diameter of only 16 mm, the portraits are astonishingly finely engraved: the elephant with its mighty tusks, the Cape buffalo with its curved horns, the silverback gorilla in profile, and the springbok with its lyre-shaped horns. Valcambi stands behind this high minting quality.

Technical Data at a Glance

• Total fine weight: 0.43 g gold
• Lion: 1/200 oz (0.16 g), fineness 999.9/1,000, diameter 14 mm, Proof, face value 25 dollars (Liberia), mintage 1,000 pieces
• Mini coins: each 1/1,000 oz (0.03 g), fineness 999/1,000, diameter 16 mm, Brilliant Uncirculated, mintage of 50,000 pieces each
• Issuing countries: Liberia, Republic of Chad, Gabon
• Packaging: each coin in its own coin card

Set or Heavy Single Coin? How to Classify This Set

The well-known Big Five series from the South African Mint is famous for its magnificent collector's items. This mint in South Africa also produces the Krugerrand. However, their Big Five gold coins can quickly cost a four-figure sum per ounce. This set takes the opposite approach: ten designs in genuine gold for a fraction of that cost. This makes it well suited for beginners, families and collectors who appreciate variety.

To be honest, you should know: with very small weights, the premium per gram is higher than with a full ounce. If you want as much gold as possible per euro, choose a larger denomination. Do you enjoy the design, the limited mintage, and building up your holdings step by step? Then this set is exactly right for you.

Gold: The Currency That Has Outlived All Others

Gold is humanity's oldest currency. Paper money has come and gone, but gold has remained. It has its own intrinsic value, is traded worldwide, and has protected against the gradual loss of purchasing power for thousands of years. With small denominations, it becomes easy to regularly set something aside. In this way, they contribute to wealth preservation, inflation hedging and crisis preparedness. Good to know: profits from the sale of physical gold are generally tax-free after a holding period of at least one year.

Ten animals, one continent, and one metal that people have trusted for thousands of years: this set combines the joy of collecting with tangible fine gold.

"Africa's Wildlife in Gold" is also a lovely idea as a gift for a birth, a christening, or for young animal lovers. Instead of a plush toy that eventually ends up gathering dust in a corner, you give a lasting tangible asset that can accompany the recipient for a lifetime. The coins can be beautifully displayed in their coin cards, while their delicate surfaces remain protected.