500 Tenge Irbis

The Irbis — snow leopard — has served as a protected species symbol in Kazakhstan since the early post-Soviet conservation initiatives, and this issue was part of a broader wildlife series the National Bank launched to fund and publicize that effort. The .9999 fine gold specification places it among the purest gold coinage Kazakhstan has issued, with the two inset diamonds an unusual production choice that required lapidary work beyond standard mint operations.