Fine Gold The gold coins in the Natura series are struck in 24 carat gold, actually .9999, and are South Africa's first fine gold coins.

Description We can probably do no better than to quote the information on the certificate which accopanies the set:-

2002 Natura - Wild Cats of Africa: The Cheetah
The legal tender Natura series was first minted in 1994. these coins were South Africa's first 24 carat (Au999.9) gold coin series. This unique series has won numerous international awards.
Following upon the success of the "Big Five" theme minted from 1994 - 1998, the "Monarchs of Africa" theme was introduced in 1999. Three species of South African antelope, namely the Kudu as King of the Antelope, the Sable as Queen of the Antelope, and the Oryx (Gemsbok) as Prince of the Kalahari were featured on the Natura coins from 1999 to 2001.
In 2002, a new theme titled "Wild Cats of Africa" will be minted. The CHEETAH is the first animal portrayed on the South African Mint's new Natura coins. The head of the cheetah appears on the obverse of all four sizes of the series. Different scenes from the cheetah's life are depicted on the reverse of the coins. for the first time, the 2002 Natura coins will feature a denomination on the reverse of each coin.
The name "cheetah" is derived from a Hindi word chiti, which means "the spotted one" and seems to indicate that the species once ranged beyond the borders of Africa. Fossil records also prove that both smaller and larger breeds once existed in Eurasia. The cheetah in motion is an extraordinary sight. Cat-like, it first stalks its prey within a distance of some fifty metres, before starting the high-speed dash up to 110 km per hour. This has earned it the reputation of being the fastest mammal on earth.
A cheetah's profile reveals its small, rounded head, short muzzle and high domed skull. The unusually large nasal cavities allow it to take in large quantities of air after the extreme exertions of the hunt. No two cheetah's are identical. Each has its own spotted pattern, just as each human being has unique fingerprints.
The 2002 Natura coin series proudly pays tribute to this fast, furious and fascinating wild cat of Africa - The Cheetah.

Artists and Diesinkers

Complete Boxed Natura Gold Proof Sets

Key to Table Mintage: Most recent figures quoted in Krause.

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