500 Francs European stag beetle

Cameroon's wildlife coin program has leaned heavily on novelty inserts since the mid-2010s, and this piece follows that pattern with an embedded magnifying glass positioned over the beetle engraving — a gimmick that nonetheless required precise alignment during the striking and encapsulation process. The European stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) is, despite the coin's issuer, a species native to Central and Western Europe, listed as near threatened under IUCN criteria and protected under the EU Habitats Directive since 1992.

Cameroon issues coins of this type almost entirely for the collector export market, with no meaningful domestic circulation.