“This coin provides a fitting culmination of the Big 5 Series ll range,” says Honey Mamabolo, managing director of the South African Mint. “Series II made its mark in 2021 with a significant design refresh, while maintaining the high craftsmanship associated with the Big 5 series, and the Buffalo coin exemplifies this exceptional design aesthetic.”
The Buffalo, also known as the Warrior, is regarded as a symbol of both fertility and aggression. Its impact is evident through the transformative effect this huge animal has on the African environment.
The large herds of buffalo not only help create the African savannah as they graze the long grasses short and open up pathways but they are also associated with the dense thickets they rely on to elude predators. This combination of craftiness and brute power ensures the buffalo’s inclusion in the Big 5.
The South African Mint’s Big 5 Series II was launched in 2021, following the successful introduction of the award-winning Series I in 2019. Series II mirrors the reverse design seen on Series I, in which two halves of the featured animal’s face are shown, forming a full face only when two or more coins are placed side-by-side.
The obverse highlights a striking new rendition of the buffalo’s head, facing the right with its head and horn boss prominent. By contrast, in Series I the animal is facing the left, and a part of the body can be seen. The obverse also includes the South African coat of arms, indicating the coin’s status as legal tender.
Series II coins, like Series I, are available in gold, platinum and silver.
The platinum offering consists of a single 1oz coin, while the silver range comprises a 1oz Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) coin, a 1oz double capsule set, containing two silver proof coins, and a special Big 5 and Krugerrand buffalo privy mark combination set.
The gold range includes a 1oz gold proof, a 1/4oz gold proof, and a 1/4oz gold proof double capsule set, containing two identical gold proof coins.
The gold coins are complemented by a Big 5 and Krugerrand buffalo privy mark combination set consisting of a 1oz gold proof Big 5 coin and a 1oz gold proof Krugerrand coin.
Customers can now complete their Big 5 series ll collection with this final Buffalo coin range, while growing anticipation for the upcoming launch of Series III.
