Details:

1/4oz Gold Mass:  7.777 grams Diameter: 22.00 mm Metal: Au 999.9  

1oz Sterling Silver Crown Mass:  3.393 grams Diameter: 16.50 mm Metal: Ag 925 Cu 75

Description:

Greater consciousness on how we interact with nature has developed in the last half-century. UNESCO launched the Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1971 ‘to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources’. South Africa participates in this international initiative; it has six biosphere reserves.

The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (KBR) was registered in 1998. The map on the common obverse of the four coins indicates its location in the Western Cape Province. An enlarged map shows the reserve, which covers land and sea.

The Biosphere series consists of two R2 (1/4oz) pure-gold coins and two R2 sterling-silver coins, each featuring different aspects of the KBR.

The first gold coin shows the unspoiled mountains of the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. This is the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the world’s most diverse and abundant floral area. The Marsh Rose (Orothamnus zeyheri) and the Cape Mountain Leopard (Panthera pardus) appear on the coin, as does a cabin of the Oudebosch Mountain Camp, an eco-friendly tourism facility with minimal impact on the sensitive environment.

The second gold coin focuses on the iconic species living on the shoreline of the Kogelberg Marine Park The African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini) forages for mussels in the rocky intertidal zone while the African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) glides through the Atlantic Ocean before returning to the breeding colony at Stony Point. The Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis) makes its home in fresh-water rivers, estuaries and lakes.

The first sterling-silver coin depicts the Elgin Valley, once a wildlife haven for large herds of antelope and a home to San hunters and Khoi pastoralists. Early pioneers established farms in this area, from which developed the largest fresh-produce export industry in southern Africa. The valley is best known for its apples and pears, depicted on the coin with an African Honey Bee (Apis mellifera scutellata). Hills covered in orchards appear in the background.

The second sterling-silver coin represents the importance of responsible marine management. The 1800s and 1900s saw the development of the fishing industry in the area. The high demand for whale products had brought the Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) to the brink of extinction. Today, South Africa enforces the ban on whaling and supports the growing whale-watching ecotourism. The survival of the Abalone (Haliotis midae) depends on the protection of breeding communities and the strict control of its harvesting.

Ensuring the survival of our natural environment while sustaining our use of this asset is a complex balancing act.