150 Pula Brown Hyena

Botswana's 1978 gold issues were struck to celebrate the country's wildlife and coincided with a period of rapid economic expansion driven by diamond revenues following the Orapa mine's full production ramp-up. The Bank of Botswana used these high-denomination pieces primarily for international trade and collector markets rather than domestic circulation — the 150 Pula face value was far beyond everyday purchasing power in 1978 Botswana.

The brown hyena, endemic to southern Africa and already under pressure from persecution by livestock farmers at the time of issue, was a deliberate conservation statement. KM#13 was struck in limited numbers, with most examples going directly into presentation sets.