Catalog
1000 Kwacha Siberian Tiger
| Issuer | Zambia |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
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| Thickness | 3 mm |
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| Obverse description | The obverse displays the Zambian coat of arms at center, featuring two human supporters — a man to the left and a woman to the right — flanking a shield decorated with wavy horizontal lines representing the Victoria Falls. A fish eagle with spread wings surmounts crossed pickaxe and hoe atop the shield, while a scroll at the base bears the national motto. The legend ZAMBIA arcs along the upper periphery, with the date 2014 divided across the left and right fields, and the denomination 1000 KWACHA inscribed along the lower arc, all within a beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a full-color depiction of an adult Siberian tiger striding purposefully to the left in the foreground, rendered in vivid orange, white, and black tones, accompanied by a smaller cub at its side. Behind the tigers, a stylized world map occupies the upper field, with a red faceted crystal gem inset at the location of Siberia marking the species' native range. The legend ENDANGERED ANIMAL SPECIES curves along the upper right, and SIBERIAN TIGER arcs along the lower left, all set against a milled silver field within a plain border. |
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| Additional information |
Zambia's wildlife coin program of the 2000s and 2010s was prolific to the point of controversy — the country issued dozens of species-themed pieces with no meaningful connection to Zambian fauna, the Siberian tiger among them. These were produced primarily for the collector market in Europe and Asia, with the Zambian government effectively licensing its monetary authority to foreign distributors, a practice that drew criticism from numismatic bodies concerned about the integrity of issuing standards.
Silver-clad copper-nickel was the workhorse composition of this trade, keeping production costs low against a face value that existed entirely on paper.