Catalog
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| Issuer | Somalia |
|---|---|
| Year | 2017 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 33 mm |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features the Somali national coat of arms at center, depicting a shield bearing horizontal stripes and a central five-pointed star, supported by two leopards rampant on either side, with a palm branch and crossed spears below. The legend SOMALI REPUBLIC arcs along the upper periphery in large Latin letters, while the denomination 50 SHILLINGS is inscribed along the lower rim. The date is split with 20 to the left and 17 to the right of the central arms. The design is rendered in high relief against a frosted field, consistent with proof-quality production. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Somalia's elephant bullion series occupies an unusual niche: the issuing authority is nominal, with the coins designed, produced, and distributed almost entirely by the Bavarian State Mint (Bayerische Hauptmünzamt) in Munich under licensing arrangements. The "Somalia" designation is effectively a legal fiction that allows private bullion programs to exist outside major sovereign mint frameworks while still carrying face value.
The design changes annually, which drives collector demand well beyond melt value and keeps secondary market premiums unusually high for a bullion-class piece. The 2017 iteration is among the earlier issues in what became a widely followed annual series.