New Silver Bullion Coins

New Bullion Coins

The Republic of Burundi lion coins are among the new silver coin to make an appearance.  Many smaller nations are currently having bullion coins minted, and thus can sell the coins for a profit.  Burundi is a very poor nation, and certainly can benefit from any income, so having coins minted and sold for a premium, no matter how small, can certainly benefit the small nation.  The 2015 fine silver one ounce coin depicts the African lion, and makes a nice addition to the available bullion coins on the market.

Coin Specifics

The coin is 0.999 fine silver.  Some mints have gone to 0.9999 fine silver, and while that last digit does not represent that much silver, some people tend to favor the 0.9999 fineness in their silver coins.

Unlike many coins, there is no head of state on the obverse.  Instead, one side of the coin shows the head of a male lion, and the other side shows a mountainous jungle setting with a male lion and female lioness walking through the jungle.  Since the lion head appears on other Burundi coins it is apparent that it is the obverse, and incidental to the appearance of the two lions on the reverse.

The denomination of the coin is five thousand francs, a large number with little value.  At the time of writing this the five thousand francs converts to between three and four dollars, far less than the value of an ounce of silver.

The coin appears on Ebay, and is low in cost compared to some bullion coins, but the low cost also reflects on the demand for the coin.  But, silver is silver, so if you seek bullion this coin might be a nice alternative to other more established coins.  It appears to currently be available at a fair price for a silver bullion coin.

Better Coins Are Available

The proof finish coins of the lion are also available.  The proof coins come with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity, and a very limited mintage given at one thousand coins.  Because of the low mintage the higher cost per coin is attractive.  And, certainly a graded coin, whether it is proof or not, does carry some extra value, with the graded proof coins being the most desirable.   So, numistimists may well favor the proof coin, but the premium may be more than a bullion buyer cares to invest.

Article provided by Black Spaniel Gallery Coins.