South African Mint’s Big 5 Series ll Lion 1 oz Proof coin wins Best Gold Coin at the Coin Of The Year Awards
The South African Mint, a wholly owned subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is proud to receive top honours in the Best Gold Coin category at the 40th Coin of the Year (COTY) awards held in Pittsburgh in August 2023.
The Big Five Series II collectable coin collection introduced in 2021 follows the award-winning first series introduced in 2019. The collection boasts a subtle revision to the obverse design, while the reverse design remains the same as that of the previous series, with the two halves of the animal’s face.
The lion, universally known as the king of the jungle, embodies the indomitable spirit and pride of Africa. The stunning obverse, designed by Product Development Manager, Richard Stone, and engraved by Senior Die Sinker and Engraver, Paul Botes, focuses on the graceful beauty of the regal animal and highlights the highest standards of artistry. The design of the winning coin is dominated by a close up profile of the lion facing the right-hand side, with its thick mane proudly occupying most of the coins’ perimeter.
The COTY Awards honour the accomplishments of mints from around the world in numismatic design, artistic vision, craftsmanship and marketing efforts. Awards are given in ten categories, and three coins are selected in each category. Besides the Best Gold Coin, popular categories include Best Contemporary Event, Best Circulation Coin, Most Artistic Coin and the coveted overall Coin of the Year.
No stranger to the accolade, the South African Mint has previously won the Best Gold Coin (2009) for the 1oz (R100) Natura featuring the “White Rhino Safari Through Africa”, the coveted Coin of the Year (2012) for the 1/2 oz R5O Natura featuring the “Nature’s Family – The Meerkat”, the Best Contemporary Event (2019) for the R2 Crown featuring The Heart Transplant and the Best Circulating Coin (2022) for the R2 circulation coin commemorating the ‘right to freedom and security of the person’.
We are proud to continue our long-standing tradition of crafting coins that not only tell the story of South Africa but inspire the world as well.
