In amongst all the new annual bullion coin updates we expect at this time of the year, there’s a great selection of new issues to tempt collectors and stackers to part with their money. Nature and wildlife probably constitutes the most popular subject these days, and we see everything from prehistoric animals, as on the South African Mint’s pretty new series, to a wide range of modern wildlife from all the world’s continents.

Tucking neatly into that timeline is Auragentum’s new eight coin series to be issued at the rate of two per year. Fixing on the Pleistocene period, it covers a time when the dinosaurs were long gone, and humanity was developing into the selfie-loving masses it is today. While the true behemoths that characterised the age of the dinosaurs are absent, there were some impressive beasts roaming around – certainly the sort of thing caveman Ugg and his cousin Ooga wouldn’t want to bump into in the dead of night…

First subject of the eight is the Woolly Mammoth. A good choice as it’s no doubt the most instantly recognisable beast from the era, due to the plethora of incredible finds thawing out from the Northern permafrost. It’s hard to believe that the Great Pyramid in Egypt was old when these creatures were still wandering around. A neat design, it depicts the mammoth in almost full body form, against a tundra backdrop. The border carries silhouettes of the eight series subjects, with the current one struck to a polished finish, The obverse features the emblem of Ghana, along with the denomination.

There are three versions on offer. A proof finish 1oz gold coin and an uncirculated finish 1kg 0.999 silver are the rarer variants, with both topping out at 1,000 pieces. The serial number is engraved on the reverse face of these two, and while both come with a certificate of authenticity, only the gold is boxed. Of more interest to us mere mortals, the 1oz silver coin, also with an uncirculated finish, has a mintage of 15,000 and is supplied encapsulated. All versions of this neat coin can be purchased now. A great choice of subject for a bullion series, and we eagerly await the next design.