The African Elephant coin is, today, one of the most popular silver bullion coins in the world. However, it had very humble origins when it debuted in 1999 as the Zambian Silver Elephant Coin. From 1999 to 2003, the now-popular coins were struck for the Bank of Zambia by the Bavarian State Mint in Germany. Today, JM Bullion offers the 1999 1 oz Zambian Silver Elephant Coin for sale.
Coin Highlights:
- 1st release of the Zambian Silver Elephant coin.
- Ships in a protective plastic capsule.
- Contains 1 Troy oz of .999 pure silver.
- Face value of 5,000 Kwacha is fully backed by the Bank of Zambia.
- Obverse features the first-ever Elephant design from the Bavarian State Mint.
- Reverse bears the coat of arms for Zambia.
Due in no small part to its size, the African Elephant is one of the most important and visible creatures on the African continent. The African elephant is the largest land mammal species in the world, and is in fact split into two different subspecies. However, the animal is also one of the most endangered in the world, with poachers illegal hunting and killing adult elephants for the value of their ivory tusks.
The Bavarian State Mint launched the African Elephant Series with the release of these 1999 1 oz Zambian Silver Elephant coins. Throughout the coin’s history, the obverse design of the African elephant would change each year to add collectible value to each new release. The first three coins in the Zambian version featured the nation’s coat of arms, with a switch to the right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for the final two years.
On the obverse of the 1999 1 oz Zambian Silver Elephant Coin is the first image of the elephant in the series. In the design, an adult elephant keeps a watchful eye on a young calf as it playfully drinks from the waters of a nearby stream. Engravings on these coins are similar to the modern designs, including the name of the series, along with the weight, metal content, and purity of the coins.
Flip them over, and on the reverse you’ll find the coat of arms for the nation of Zambia. The coat of arms for the nation features a man on the left and a woman on the right of the crest. Above it an eagle holds an ax and pick ax, and below is a banner that features the national motto of “One Zambia, One Nation.”
Each of these 1999 1 oz Zambian Silver Elephant Coins is the product of the Bavarian State Mint, one of Germany’s five major minting facilities and a publicly-owned entity of the Free State of Bavaria.
Please feel free to direct your questions regarding Zambian Silver Elephant coins to a JM Bullion customer service representative. You can reach us on the phone at 800-276-6508, online using our live chat, and via our email address.