1443) "Great Horned Megaloceros", Ghana: Second Gold and Silver Bullion Coins released in "Giants of the Ice Age" Bullion Coin Series issued by Bank of Ghana: Coins minted by Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung GmbH (Precious Metals Factory): Year of Coin issue: 2019:

1443) "Great Horned Megaloceros", Ghana: Second Gold and Silver Bullion Coins released in "Giants of the Ice Age" Bullion Coin Series issued by Bank of Ghana: Coins minted by Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung GmbH (Precious Metals Factory): Year of Coin issue: 2019:

The Bank of Ghana has released its second variant Gold and Silver Bullion Coins titled - "Giants of the Ice Age Coin Series". The Coin Series, when completed, will include eight animals which lived during the Ice-Age.

During the time, known as the Pleistocene Era was the planet's most recent Ice Age and it was a geological epoch that lasted from about 25,80,000 to 11,700 years ago.

Towards the end of this Ice age, a wide assortment of animals roamed the Earth and several familiar species thriving today are descended from many of these Ice Age ancestors.

Curiously, evolutionary changes during the Pleistocene were generally minor because of the short interval of time involved. However, they were the greatest among mammals. In fact, the epoch has been sub-divided into mammalian ages based on the appearance of certain migrant or epidemic forms.

 Among one of these species was the "Great Horn Megaloceros", which features on the second coin in the series.

Great Horn Megaloceros ("Megaloceros giganteus"):

The Megaloceros ("Mega" meaning "Great" and "Ceros"  deriving from "Keras" (meaning "Horn") is an extinct genus of deer whose members lived throughout Eurasia from the early Pleistocene to the beginning of the Holocene and were herbivores during the Ice Ages.

The largest species - "Megaloceros giganteus", vernacularly known as the "Irish Elk" or "Giant Elk", is the best known. 

Despite its name, the Irish Elk was neither restricted to Ireland, nor closely referred to the species known as Elk.

Most members of the genus were extremely large animals that preferred open woodlands or meadows.

Fallow deer are believed to be their closest living relatives.

The Commemorative Coin:

The coins have been minted by Leipziger Edelmetalverarbeitung (LEV) GmbH at its facilities in Leipzig, Germany, on behalf of the Bank of Ghana.

One variant has been issued in Gold - 500 Cedis Gold Bullion Coin (1.0 Oz wt. Coins).

Two variants have been issued in Silver - 5 Cedi Silver Bullion Coins (1.0 Oz wt. Coins) and 1000 Cedis Silver Bullion Coins (Kilo Coins).

The Reverses of the Gold & Silver Bullion Coin variants feature a Great Horned Megaloceros against a backdrop of its natural grassy habitat.

Surrounding the image of the Great Horned Megaloceros is a semi-circle of 8 symbolic animals of the Ice-Age which will feature in this Coin Series, depicted on the upper periphery.

The inscription reads -"GIANTS OF THE ICE AGE" (in the upper half of the coin face), while on the lower periphery is inscribed - "2019" (Year of issue) and the metal's purity "Ag 999" and weight "1.0 Oz" for the Five Cedi Coin & "1.0 KG" for the 1000 Cedi Coin and for the 500 Cedi Gold Coin metal purity "AU 999.9" weight "1.0 Oz" for the 500 Cedi Gold Coin).

The Obverses of the Gold & Silver Bullion Coin variants include the Ghanaian  Coat of Arms in the centre. On the upper to centre border are a series of rays encircling the crest.

The denominations - "500 CEDIS" (1.0 Oz Gold Coin), or "5 CEDIS" (1.0 Oz Silver Coin) or "1000 CEDIS" (One Kilo Coin) and the name of the issuing country "REPUBLIC OF GHANA" is placed above the coin's denomination.

The specifications of the Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Variants are: 

500 Cedis, 1 Oz. Gold Coin Variant:

Denomination: 500 Cedis; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 1.0 Oz or 31.1 grams; Diameter/Size: 38.6 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage: 1,000 pieces; Minted By: Leipziger Edelmetallverabeitung GmbH (Preciuos Metals Factory known for its production of Geiger Original Series Gold & Silver Bars; Protective Capsule: Yes; Presentation: House in a box; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes; Year: 2019.

1000 Cedi, 1 Kilo Silver Coin Variant:

Denomination: 1,000 Cedis; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1,000 grams (or 1.0 Kilogram); Diameter/Size: 100.0 mm; Coin Quality: Bullion; Mintage: 1,000 pieces; Minted By: Leipziger Edelmetallverabeitung GmbH (Precious Metals Factory known for its production of Geiger Original Series Gold and Silver Bars); Year: 2019.

5 Cedis, 1.0 Oz Silver Coin Variant:

Denomination: 5 Cedis; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 31.1 grams (or 1.0 Oz); Diameter/Size: 38.6 mm; Coin Quality: Bullion; Mintage: 15,000 pieces; Minted By: Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung GmbH; On Behalf Of: Bank of Ghana; Year: 2019; Encapsulated: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity: Yes.

Links to other interesting posts on our Ghana visit in 2013:

1) Lake Bosumchwe or Bosumchwi, Ghana

2) El Mina Castle/Fort, Cape Coast, Ghana

3) History of Coinage and Banknotes of Ghana  

4) Mole National Park, Ghana

5) Funerals

6) Larabanga mosque and the Mystic Stone

7) Food, Culture and Music of Ghana

8) A visit to Ghana

9) Oware: The Ancient National Board Game of Ghana

10) Did You Know Series (36): Colours of Africa: A trip to Ghana: The ancient Adinkra Symbols of the Ashantis 

11) "Woolly Mammoth", Ghana: First Gold & Silver Bullion Coins releasedin "Giants of the Ice age" Bullion Coin Series issued by the Bank of Ghana: Coins minted by Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung GmbH (Precious Metals Factory): Year of Coin issue: 2019

12) "Great Horned Megaloceros", Ghana: Second Gold & Silver Bullion Coins released in "Giants of the Ice Age" Bullion Coin Series issued by the Bank of Ghana: Coins minted by Leipziger Edelmetallvararbeitung GmbH (Precious Metals Factory): Year of Coin issue: 2019

13) "Sabre-Toothed Tiger", Ghana: Third Silver Bullion Coin released in "Giants of the Ice Age" Bullion Coin Series issued by Bank of Ghana: Coins minted by Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung GmbH (Precious Metals Factory: Year of issue: 2020

Some other interesting posts from the African Continent on this blog:

1) Currency of South Africa and the Common Monetary Area between South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho: the Rand and Cents 

2) World's First Human Heart Transplant: 50th Anniversary: A 2 Rand Silver Coin and a 2 1/2 Cent Tickey issued by the South African Mint in 2017 under its coin series "South African Inventions" launched in 2016  

3) 3rd India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS -III): Commemorative Postage Stamps issued by the Department of Posts, India ii) A Commemorative Proof Coin set of two coins of the denominations of Rs. 500/- and Rs.10/- issued by the India Government Mint, Kolkata 

4) Currency of Tunisia, North Africa: Dinars & Milims (or Millimes)

5) a) Central Bank of West African States issues: the "Franc Financial Cooperation in Central Africa (FCFA) b) Bank of Central African Cooperation in Central Africa (FFCCA)

6) Coinage of the French Polynesian Island of New Caledonia ("Nouvelle Calédonie" in French) - the CFP Franc.

7) Financial Institution for issuing uniform currency/coinage for French Overseas territories in the Pacific & French Southern Territories of Antarctica "The Institut d'emission d'Outre-mer" (IEOM) for French Polynesia (Tahiti), New Caledonia, Wallis-et-Futuna, and the erstwhile New Hebrides (present day Vanuatu) 

8) 2014 Emission of Banknotes for French Polynesia (Tahiti), New Caledonia, Wallis-et futuna and the erstwhile New Hebrides (present day Vanuatu) 

9) Currency and Coinage of Rwanda, East Africa: Francs and Centimes

10) Currency and Coinage of Kenya: Shillings and Cents

11) Coinage and Currency of Mozambique: Metacal (Meticais) and Centavos)

12) Death's Head Hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos): Silver & Gold 1500 Shilling coins issued by Tanzania through Coin Invest Trust (CIT) 2018

13) Currency & Coinage of Ghana: Cedis & Pesewas

14) 3rd India- Africa Forum Summit at New Delhi - Commemorative Stamps issued by Department of Posts, India

15) Archosauria (The Rise of the Dinosaurs): "Natura series" of Five Gold Coins from the "Palaeontology Collection": A set of Gold Coins brought out by the South african Mint in 2018

16) New Circulation coins Series, Kenya: introduced by the Central Bank of Kenya on 11.12.2018

17) Sudan: A 100 Pounds Banknote being issued by the Central Bank of Sudan by End February 2019

18) Algeria: i) Introduction of two new denominations of 500 and 1,000 Algerian Dinars (AD), which will kick-start the new "Fifth Series of Algerian Dinar Banknotes" ii) A 100 Algerian Dinar tri-metallic coin which wil replace the 100 Dinar circulating Banknote of the same denomination

19) South Africa: "The Big Five Silver Coin Series": 1) First Coin in the Series brought out by the South African Mint features the African Elephant on a Five Rand Coin as the first variant issued in 02/2019: 2) Later Coin issues will feature the Lion, Leopard, Rhinoceros and the Buffalo

20) 25 Years of Constitutional Democracy in South Africa (SA25): Celebrating the milestone with the issue of six circulation coins (R2 five  coins & R5 one Coin) and three Commemorative Coins (Gold R500, Sterling Silver R50 & Bronze Alloy R50) issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in partnership with the South African Mint: Coin release dats: 04/2019 & 05/2019

21) Dr. Tawhida Ben Chiekh (1910-2010), Tunisia: A new 10 Dinar Banknote issued by the "Banque Centrale de Tunisie" (Central Bank of Tunisia) honouring the pioneering doctor, who replaces Dido (Queen Elissa), the founder & first Queen of Carthage on the 10 Dinar Banknote: Date of Banknote issue: 27.03.2020

22) The "Retinal Cryo-Probe", South Africa: A 2 Rand Sterling Proof Coin and a 2-1/2 Cent "Tickey" Combo set issued by the South African Mint: Date of Coin Set issue: 03.03.2020

23) Did You Know Series (22): How to join the World Super-rich Club? Own a Z$100 Trillion Dollars Banknote from Zimbabwe !!!

23) New ZWL$10 & ZWL$20 Banknotes, Zimbabwe: Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is releasing new Banknotes into circulation: date of Banknotes issue: 14.05.2020 & first week of 06/2020

Some other interesting links to posts on this blog on Currencies of the Middle-East:

1) Currency/coinage of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

 2) Currencies of the Middle East (3): Kuwaiti Dinar & Fils 

3) Coins/Currencies of the Middle East: Sultanate of Oman: Currency & Coinage: Rial and Baisa

4) Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918-2004): Celebrating his Birth Centenary by issue of a Commemorative Banknote of 100 Dirham by the Central Bank of the United arab Emirates on 28.11.2018

5) i) A 50 Jordanian Dinar Banknote from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan ii) Other Banknotes from the 4th Series of Banknote issues from the Central Bank of Jordan