Somali Silver Elephants

Somali Silver Elephants at BGASC

One of the most popular and intriguing coin programs on the market today is Somali Silver Elephants. Coins in this series were first issued before 2000 and have been issued annually in various sizes with new designs seen with every new release. Learn more about these Somali Silver Elephants, right here at BGASC.

About the Somali Silver Elephants

The series debuted in 1999 as the Zambia African Wildlife Series. Zambia backed these coins until 2003. In 2004, the series started to be backed by Somalia. These coins are struck by the Bavarian State Mint and while they are part of the African Wildlife Series, only elephants have ever been featured.

Interestingly, even though these coins have been backed by Somalia since 2004, the Somali Republic has yet to acknowledge that they do indeed support these coins.

Initially, these coins were issued in a 1 Troy oz size with a purity of .999 pure silver. In 2016, the purity was upgraded to .9999 silver. 1 oz coins initially had a face value of 1,000 shillings, but in 2007 the face value was adjusted to 100 shillings.

Sizes Available and Unique Strikes

Coins are issued in several unique sizes, such as the following:

• 1 Kilogram
• 10 Troy oz
• 5 Troy oz
• 2 Troy oz
• 1 Troy oz
• 1/2 Troy oz
• 1/4 Troy oz
• 1/10 Troy oz

These coins are also issued in a multitude of various strikes. BU Coins are the most readily available, however, there are other strikes such as colorized, gilded, and proof strikes.

Colorized coins have a colorized lacquer applied to the reverse. Gilded coins have a thin layer of 24-karat gold applied to the reverse. Proof strikes are struck multiple times, which gives them a mirrored background and frosted design elements.

Packaging Options

1 oz BU coins are available in protective plastic flips. For larger orders, tubes of 20 and Monster Boxes of 500 are available. Larger BU sizes are available in capsules whereas special versions, such as proof strikes, come in display boxes.

• 7-Coin Collection: For 2024, you can purchase the Somali Silver Elephant as a 7-coin set. This set has a limited release of just 300 and features 7 silver weights, totaling 18.85 Troy oz of .9999 silver.
• Baby Boy/ Girl Cards: The smallest weight offered (1/10 oz) can be obtained in an elephant-themed presentation card. Available are 2 options, a pink elephant for a baby girl, and a blue elephant for a baby boy.
• Day and Night Set: This unique 2-coin set features 2 colorized versions of the Somali Silver Elephant. One coin shows the reverse design in a day setting, the other in a nighttime setting.

Purchasing Somali Silver Elephants at BGASC

Questions about these Somali Silver Elephants? Contact the BGASC customer service team today at 888-992-4272. Our team can also be reached via email or through our online chat feature.