African Silver Coins

African Silver Coins at BGASC

There are 54 countries on the African continent, which is quickly becoming a top name in the precious metals industry. While not every country has a sovereign mint, such as the South African Mint, many private mints help produce bullion coins for these countries. With many unique coins and coin programs available, learn more about African Silver Coins, right here at BGASC.

Somalian Silver Elephants

Arguably the most popular African coin program is the Somalian Silver Elephant. Similar to a lot of Perth Mint silver coin programs, this series features unique images of an elephant on the reverse with every release.

Notably, this series debuted in 1999 but with the backing of Zambia. These coins were issued under Zambia from 1999 until 2003. In 2004, coins in the series were released on behalf of Somalia and this has remained true ever since. Interestingly, the Somali Republic has not acknowledged that it does indeed support the coins. That however has not stopped investors and collectors from making these Silver Coins some of the most popular on the market today.

Along with the reverse imagery, the series has undergone some changes over the years. Originally, these coins were only available as a 1 Troy oz option with a purity of .999 silver and a face value of 1,000 shillings. In 2007, the face value was adjusted to just 100 shillings. In 2016, the purity was increased to .9999 pure silver. Now, coins can be purchased in the following sizes:

• 1/10 Troy oz
• 1/4 Troy oz
• 1/2 Troy oz
• 1 Troy oz
• 2 Troy oz
• 5 Troy oz
• 10 Troy oz
• 1 Kilogram

These coins are also available in multiple versions such as BU, proof strikes, gilded, colorized, and even Day-and-Night 2-Coin Sets.

Somalian Silver Elephants are produced by the Bavarian State Mint, a Munich-based mint who’s been producing coins since 1158.

Congo Silverback Gorillas

One private mint that has a history of producing coins for African nations is the Scottsdale Mint. One of their most popular series is the Congo Silverback Gorilla series.

The Congolese coat of arms is present on the obverse field, while a new image of a Silverback Gorilla is shown on the reverse with each release. These coins contain 1 Troy oz of .999 pure silver and have a face value of 5,000 Francs (CFA). Individual coins are available in capsules, while multiples of 5 will arrive in sealed plastic sheets.

Unique versions, such as colorized coins, proof-like coins, and even a 1-kilogram weight option have been released sporadically over the years. In 2021, gold coins were introduced to the series as well.

South African Big 5 Series

This series debuted in 2019 with each coin showcasing one of Africa’s Big 5 animals – Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Leopard, and Buffalo. Silver coins are struck in .999 pure silver, however, gold and platinum coins are also available in the series. Depending on the metal, coins are available in sizes such as 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz.

Along with silver BU coins, proof strikes are also available in the series.

Rwandan Silver Coins

The most well-known coin program from Rwanda is the Rwandan Wildlife Series. This coin program was first released in 2008 and has seen many unique designs over the years. While the reverse side always shows the outline of the African continent, the lower left portion will display a new animal with each issue. Designs over the years include the Gorilla (2008) Elephant (2009) Lion (2010) Zebra (2011) Rhino (2012) Cheetah (2013) Impala (2014) Buffalo (2015) Meerkat (2016) Hippo (2017) Giraffe (2018) Shoebill (2019) Bushbaby (2020) Okapi (2021) Pelican (2022) Nile Crocodile (2023) Mountain Gorilla (2024) and Leopard (2024).

Another popular series is the Rwandan Nautical Series. This was introduced in 2017 to commemorate the 525th anniversary of the European discovery of the Americas. Each reverse shows a new ship that had a major impact on human history. Designs include the Santa Maria (2017) HMS Endeavor (2018) Victoria (2019) Mayflower (2020) Sedov (2021) USS Constitution (2022) and the Great Eastern (2023).

Ghana Silver Coins

Most Ghana-backed bullion coins are struck by the Scottsdale Mint, a private mint in Scottsdale, Arizona. One popular coin program is the Ghana Unicorn Series. This series debuted in 2023 with four unique silver coins, a silver BU coin, and three coins with colorized hair (pink, purple, and rainbow).

Another popular series is the Ghana Alien Series. The series, also issued by the Scottsdale Mint, began in 2021 and has released new coins annually ever since. New alien imagery is present on the reverse every year. Coins are issued in BU condition, as well as antique strikes, and even rhodium-plated coins.

Purchasing African Silver Coins at BGASC

For any questions about these African Silver Coins, contact the BGASC customer service team today. We can be reached via email, through our online chat feature, or by calling us at 888-992-4272.