Somalian African Elephant Silver Coins

Beginning in 1999 and continuing to this day the Republic of Somalia commissioned the Bavarian State Mint or the Das Bayerisches Hauptmünzamt Mint in Germany to produce a series of coins featuring African Elephants. They were to be one troy ounce of .999 fine silver. The goal was to have a high quality bullion coin celebrating the beauty of the African Elephant in its natural habitat with a changing scene each year. The intrigue of the elephant along with the limited mintage of many of the earlier years has seen this series become highly popular and fun to collect.

Modern releases for the series began in 2004 and are the focus of this lens. For the earlier years of 2004 - 2006 collectors did not gravitate to the series as quickly as hoped and now with their rise in popularity the early issues are extremely difficult to acquire with quite a hefty price tag. In addition to the silver bullion coins there are also gold gilded and colorized version of many years but we will save that for another time.

The coins and photos in the lens are from my personal collection, while the videos are links to the fine work of others. I hope you enjoy the review.

Mintage - 140,000

The beautiful country that is Somalia has been in turmoil for quite some time. A variety of factions are fighting for control of Somalia and as we have heard all too often pirates target foreign commercial ships and take hostages.

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There is a segment of the country though relying on ecotourism to help drive a transition to a modern economy. However, this is heavily threatened by the continuing conflict and an elephant poaching crisis. Please do your part to ensure a future for the beautiful creatures of Africa.

Unlike the changing reverse, the obverse has gone unchanged since the initial release in 2004. The coat of arms of Somalia that was adopted on October 10, 1956 is the featured design element. It depicts two leopards on either side of a star centered shield with a ribbon draped over a pair of crossed lances and palm fronds. The legends "Somali Republic", the year, and "1000 Schillings" round out the presentation.

Mintage - 120,000

Mintage - 170,000

The imposing mother is always there to protect the young at their vulnerable stage. Here she has the calf close at hand under the African sun.

Mintage - 120,000

The imposing mammal rumbles across the African plain with birds of the Savannah punctuating the backdrop. In an interesting twist there is also a mint variety with the reverse of the 2009 release.

Mintage - 130,000

The African elephant is the largest living land animal. Its massive body is supported by strong stocky legs. . Its has signature large ears that enable heat loss and a trunk that functions somewhat as a fifth limb. This years release feature a charging mammal using its imposing size to ward off a potential threat.

Mintage - 5,000

This years release showcase a family of elephants. A typical elephant family has 6 to 12 individual elephants. This can grow as large as 20 from time to time. The females assist each other with the birth and care of their young. This nurturing caretaker role is an extremely critical aspect of the young female elephant's development as it grooms her for when she becomes a mother. The matriarch is usually succeeded by her oldest daughter when she dies

Mintage - 5,000

There is something unique and special about elephants that pulls at the human spirit. Their imposing size and breathtaking power are obvious at first glance, but the tenderness and care they show to their kin suggests to us a characteristic normally reserved for humans - the ability feel compassion, hold another in memory when they are no longer with us, and strong family ties on drive the interest further. This loving bond is flawlessly pictured on the 2007 issue.

The African elephant has long played a meaningful role in the regions of Africa and its inhabits. From south of the Sahara desert across the Savannah, brush, forest, river valleys, and semi-desert regions of Africa the elephant's impact can be seen and felt in these long standing cultures.

Mintage - 5,000

Widely considered the most sought after year for a complete collection this 2004 silver Crown matte finish coin bears the image of a bull elephant displaying the power and uniqueness of the largest and mammal. If you are an elephant lover, a world wildlife enthusiast , or African collectible lover this striking issue is sure to please.

The predecessor to the Somalia elephant series was the "Zambia" silver elephant series. In some circles they are considered part of the same series while others of which I am one consider them two different collections. Here is the 2003 for your review and you can quickly see the similarity. The coins are legal tender of 5000 Kwacha. The obverse of the 2003 is shown below.

This lens was dedicated to the one ounce bullion releases. However, there are a number of other types of Somalian Elephant releases you may find below.

1. Bullion releases
2. 4 coin Proof Silver sets
3. Colorized Silver Coins
4. Proof Releases
5. Kilo Silver Coins
6. Gilded Silver Coins
7. Bullion releases with privy marks