1oz "Elephant" Gold Coin 2025 Big Five II (South Africa)

The Big Five II coin series, minted by the South African Mint since 2021, is dedicated to South Africa's five great animals, featuring different motifs each year. These include the elephant, lion, rhino, leopard, and buffalo. The former will once again feature on a gold coin in 2025 at the classic 1oz denomination.

A special feature of the coin series is the depiction of an animal motif on both sides. In keeping with the coin's country of origin, it depicts an African elephant – the world's largest mammal. The coin initially features a crescent-shaped edge, forming a lower arc that becomes increasingly longer and thinner at both ends. At the top, the two ends meet and join, while the South African coat of arms is depicted in a circle at the bottom. The border is also filled with the words "SOUTH AFRICA" and "BIG FIVE 2025." The elephant appears from the viewer's perspective, tilted slightly to the left in a frontal view, with its wrinkled skin particularly striking in its highly realistic detail.

The reverse, completely borderless, is covered with an image of two elephants. These face the viewer head-on, standing close together, while only one eye is visible on each side. When placed horizontally, the respective halves of the faces on individual coins form several animal images, creating the impression of a herd of elephants. Inside this side of the coin is a circle bearing the face value of 50 South African Rand and the fineness of 99.99% gold.  

The African elephant is significantly larger than its Asian counterpart, reaching heights of between 3 and, rarely, 4 meters. Furthermore, the tusks on both sides of the coin make it impossible to determine the sex of the animals, as, unlike the Asian elephant, female African pachyderms also develop tusks.