South Africa 5-SHILLINGS (KM40.1)

This large silver coin comes from the Union of South Africa (1910-1934) and features the Springbok, a type of antelope. Or gazelle. (The naming conventions are confused among the experts, so I'll leave it at that.) Springboks are grazers, and they inhabit the vast grass plains in the western part of the southern tip of Africa. The Springbok is the national animal of South Africa and has been hunted since stone age times. Export of its hide is a booming business and its population is considered to be expanding.