Big 5: The Elephant - 2019 Uncirculated Cupro Nickel Coin

Originally used as the term to describe the five most difficult and dangerous animals to hunt on foot, The Big Five has stuck and is now, thankfully, used to described the five ‘must see’ animals if taking a safari as hunting falls out of favour.   These unique and incredible animals are impressive in their own right and if you are lucky enough to witness any of them in their natural habitat, it will remain with you for years to come. Sadly these animals are now regarded as endangered species but hopefully with more nature reserves being set up and increased awareness, these magnificent animals will be protected for generations to come. If you are planning a safari to Africa, the Big Five represents safari royalty.

The Elephant can live up to 70 years in the wild and weigh around 12,000lbs, which is not suprising considering they spend spend up to 16 hours a day eating. These mammals are very calm as long as they are left alone, but will charge if they deem themselves threatened. Elephants are very sociable, using a wide range of sounds to talk to each other, some of which can be heard six miles away. They are perhaps best known for their amazing trunks, which contain 40,000 muscles alone and are used to identify the size, shape and temperature of the object it come into contact with.