Worth Its Weight in Gold

South Africa with its vast gold reserves is a leading producer of collectible gold coins, also known as numismatic coins. Among the South African Mint's many renowned gold coin collections, the Natura Series celebrates the country's stunningly diverse wildlife.

About Natura Coins

Natura coins were introduced in 1994 as South Africa's first fine gold coin series. These superbly minted 24-carat collectible gold coins feature a different African animal motif every year. Every collection is limited in number. Additionally, the Mint releases an even smaller, exclusive number of Prestige Sets that come in a stylish wooden case, with a plaque carved with the words 'Natura Prestige Set', the year of mintage and an individual number for the set.

The coins in Natura Series come in four sizes: 1 oz (face value: R100), 1/2 oz (face value: R50), 1/4 oz (face value: R20), and1/10 oz (face value: R10). All are made of gold.

Celebrating Wildlife Themes

Since inception, the South African Mint has launched several Natura Series collectibles under different wildlife based themes. The theme for the first five years, from 1994 to 1998 was Africa's "Big Five", featuring the lion, rhino, elephant, leopard and Cape buffalo. "Monarchs of Africa" was the theme introduced in1999, while the series beginning in 2002 was themed as "Wild Cats of Africa". "Safari through South Africa" (2009) commenced with the White Rhinoceros. The 2010 Natura Series was dedicated to the endangered Black Rhinoceros. These two species were selected for a cause, to highlight their dwindling numbers as a result of the tremendous threat they face from increasingly sophisticated poaching methods.

In 2011, the South African Mint ushered in the theme "Nature's Families". The first animal to be featured in this format was the Meerkat, a species of mongoose living in the Kalahari Desert. The obverse of each coin beautifully features a family of meerkats poised to alert their brethren for danger.

The 2012 Natura Series features the African Painted Wolf, the country's most critically endangered mammal. The coin series has a common obverse, displaying silhouettes of a wolf pack near a river. The reverse of each coin features these animals in varied natural poses.

Looking to buy a Natura Series?  Remember that collectible gold coins are priced according to age, condition, historical importance and scarcity. As an investment option, they offer the advantage of being exempted from capital gains tax, since they are classified as collectibles. Profits from selling numismatic coins are taxed as ordinary income.

Of course, there's no way to quantify the sheer delight in acquiring a thing of such great beauty and craftsmanship!