The South African Mint, a wholly owned subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), proudly announces the launch of its first-ever high-relief coin range, The African Range.
A celebration of world-class craftsmanship, The African Range redefines the boundaries of numismatics, transforming the coin from a traditional medium into a sculptural work of enduring cultural and artistic significance.
“This is one of the most exciting products we have introduced in recent decades,” says Richard Stone, Product Development Manager at the South African Mint. ‘Our ambition was to create a flagship collection that reflects Africa’s natural beauty, craftsmanship, and artistic excellence on a global stage.’
Unlike conventional coin design processes, which typically begin with a flat drawing before progressing through modelling, scanning, and engraving, The African Range represents a bold departure. These designs were modelled after existing sculptures by internationally acclaimed South African artist Dylan Lewis, renowned for his evocative wildlife works exhibited in cities such as London, Paris, and New York.
Translating these sculptures into high-relief coin form demanded months of meticulous refinement. Every angle and detail was carefully considered to determine the ideal composition before modeling and engraving could begin. “It was a profound responsibility to reinterpret an existing sculpture into a new medium,” Stone explains, underscoring the technical and artistic complexity of the process.
The debut release in The African Range focuses on the cheetah – an icon of speed, precision, and instinct. The collection unfolds as a five-coin narrative, capturing the stages of the hunt: from watchful surveying and stealthy stalking to the explosive chase, decisive capture, and final repose.
The reverse design portrays the cheetah in a poised, surveying stance, rendered in striking high relief to achieve exceptional depth, detail, and sculptural presence. The obverse features a refined, cropped profile of the animal, creating a dynamic and powerful visual construct across the series.
This limited-edition collection includes proof coins in a range of sizes: 1 kg, 5 oz, 2 oz, 1 oz, and ¼ oz in 24-carat gold, alongside 1 kg, 5 oz and 2 oz silver offering. Remarkably, the precision and detail of the high-relief design are preserved consistently across all sizes, from the smallest ¼ oz coin to the expansive 1 kg format.
A standout feature of the collection is the exclusive statue set, which pairs the 1 oz high-relief privy mark gold coin with a miniature statue of the original Dylan Lewis sculpture upon which the designs were modelled. This unique combination seamlessly merges fine art and numismatics into a single, highly collectible masterpiece.
“This is a project of enduring value,” concludes Stone. “It is a story-driven series that invites collectors to embark on a journey unfolding over five years and potentially beyond. It celebrates African wildlife and artistic excellence and offers a truly exceptional South African product to collectors worldwide.”
