Botswana 5-THEBE (KM26)¶
-
Reverse SOUTHERN YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL (likely)
-
Obverse Coat of Arms
- Composition
- Bronze-clad Steel
- Country
- Botswana
- Approx. Size
- 17mm
- Area
- Africa
- Animal Class
- Birds
- Species
- Yellow-billed Hornbill?
- KM#
- 26
The Zookeeper is not 100% certain, but it seems very likely that this is a Yellow-billed Hornbill. There are about six hornbill species resident in Botswana, and the Yellow-billed variety most closely resembles our friend on the 5-thebe coin. It belongs to the genus tockus, which probably accounts for it being misattributed by the Krause catalogue (and subsequently many coin collectors) as a "Toko" bird.
This smaller 7-sided version replaced the original round Hornbill 5-thebe in 1998.
Botswana¶
- Area
- Africa
The area of Botswana was orginally occupied by the Bushmen, who unfortunately are dying off. Migrations from the north and east in the early 17th century have resulted in most of the present day population. The area was united in the early 19th century to deal with incursion threats from neighbouring areas. By the late 19th century, the area -- known as Bechuanaland -- enlisted the aid of Britain who made it a British protectorate. The northern part of Bechuanaland remained under Britain's wing until it became the independent Republic of Botswana in 1966. Botswana is known as 'the Gem of Africa.'
