Bhutan ~ Himalayan Wildlife (3|4) ~ Bhutans national animal
On this Tuesday, we're looking at the third coin of the Endangered Wildlife series. The 1993 Takin. It's the national animal of Bhutan and deeply rooted in culture and religion.
The Legendary Takin
According to legend, the Lama Drukpa Kuenlay created the Takin after feasting on a cow and a goat. He stuck the skull of the goat on the cow skeleton and resurrected the animal. From this time on the Takin roams the plains of the Bhutanese mountains.
Obverse
The obverse shows a grazing Takin in a mountain scenery along with a second Takin in the background. With a mintage of 10,000 coins, there are roughly twice as many coins as Takins alive. Even though there are no exact numbers known the total population is somewhere in the 5000 range. It is also made from 925 silver and shows the same beautiful mirror finish as the previous coins in this series.
Reverse
The reverse features the stunning coat of arms from the Kingdom of Bhutan. This is my favorite coin in the series, because it shows interesting details, aside from just the animal. There are blades of grass hanging out of the Takins mouth while it is grazing. This attention to detail makes this coin stand out in the Endangered Wildlife series.
Closeup of a grazing Takin and the coat of arms.
I hope you liked this entry. What do you think about this series so far?
Bhutan ~ Himalayan Wildlife
If you've missed one of the other entries, follow one of the links below.
Elly dragging the coin back into her dragon lair