2021 South Africa Big 5 Buffalo 1 oz Silver Coin NGC MS 70

The fifth and last release in the popular Big Five Series from the South African Mint is dedicated to the Buffalo. South Africa is justifiably proud of its extraordinary wildlife. The animals known as “Big Five” – Elephant – Lion – Buffalo – Rhino – Leopard – are landmarks and ambassadors of this culturally rich country. The motive of the silver coin features the impressive portrait of a buffalo. Also included in the design are the inscriptions “South Africa”, “Big Five 2021” and South Africa’s national coat-of-arms. The reverse features two halves of a buffalo head. When two of those coins are placed next to each other, a complete close-up portrait of a buffalo is visible. By placing many of these coins next to each other, a whole buffalo herd appears. The Cape or African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a typical grazer. It lives in herds of a few dozen to hundreds of animals and prefers swampy areas and shaded grasslands near water. Particularly characteristic for the buffalo are its sweeping, curved horns, which can reach a span of up to 1.50 meters. As a “Big Five” member, the buffalo was formerly hunted on big-game hunts and severely decimated, so that the species almost became extinct – in the meantime, however, the populations have recovered.