Desmond Tutu's inclusion on a Gambian commemorative is worth pausing over. Tutu is South African — he has no particular biographical connection to The Gambia — making this one of many pan-African tribute issues that small nations have used to generate collector revenue rather than mark genuine national history. The Central Bank of The Gambia issued a string of similar gold miniatures during this period, typically licensed through European distributors targeting the thematic coin market.
At 0.5 g of .999 gold, the bullion content is negligible. These were never intended to circulate.
Desmond Tutu's inclusion on a Gambian commemorative is worth pausing over. Tutu is South African — he has no particular biographical connection to The Gambia — making this one of many pan-African tribute issues that small nations have used to generate collector revenue rather than mark genuine national history. The Central Bank of The Gambia issued a string of similar gold miniatures during this period, typically licensed through European distributors targeting the thematic coin market.
At 0.5 g of .999 gold, the bullion content is negligible. These were never intended to circulate.