Thread: The World Wildlife Fund Collection

Hello!

I made my first major purchase this weekend from a friend of the entire silver World Wildlife Fund 25th Anniversary Set of 1987. In total it is a wonderful 25 coin set and I'll try to post all the coins, one by one. But first, look at the complete set!



It came in a lovely case with 25 certificate of authentications (hah hah - like those can't be counterfeited).

I'll then try to post each coin separately with an explanation

Mandy

Platymantis vituanus or the Fijian Ground Frong are native the Fiji Islands. They are grey and brown in color with white blotches





The frog breeds based on environmental and hormonal conditions which are being studied in captive breeding. It is largely nocturnal and, like many frogs, are endangered. They eat anything that moves and that they can handle (much like a house cat), and are mostly nocturnal.


Dated 1986

The coin denomination is $10. The silver is 0.925% with a weight of 28.28 grams. they have a diameter of 39.61 mm, proof strikes. The original mintage is 25,000 from the British Royal Mint.

One of two reptiles in the set, the Cyclura Carinata, or the Rock Iguana, can grow to 60 cm, and weigh up to a Kilo. They hang out of the Limestone rocks of Turks and Caicos island and are most active during the daytime.

These rather small iguanas have been hunted by dogs and cats into the critically endangered status, and a large conservation effort is underway in the Islands. They live about 20 years and have a diet of primary vegitative matter, but also dines on small insects. lizzards and crustaceans when in the mood.





This is a 1 crown, .925 silver coin weights 28.28 grams, and has a 38.61 diameter. It is a proof coin of a 25,ooo mintage out of the Royal British Mint

More tomorrow

Nice set!

Nesoerias Mayeri - the Pink Pigeon

http://www.shoarns.com/PinkPigeon.html

Unlike the Pink elephant, this bird is real, but highly endanger, at one time only having 15 - 20 individuals alive in the wild.



Its original range was in the Indian Ocean centered on the Mauritius Island (not to be confused with the Mauritius House in the Hague).
The bird was largely saved from extinction by the efforts of biologist Gerald Durcell and the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, established in 1963 and the reason for the adoption of this species by the States of Jersey for the 25th Anniversary WWF coin. The bird was captive bread with a successful release of the first 11 captive bred Pink Pigeons into the Pamplemousse Botanical Gardens in Mauritius.

http://touristguidebns.blogspot.com/...us-island.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius

The Island of Mauritius was also home of the famed and extinct Dodo Bird.

http://www.durrell.org/animals/birds...s-pink-pigeon/

The Bank of Indonesia released in 1987 as part of the WWF 25 anniversary series its Babirusa Coin.

Babyrousa babyrussa is one of the many forest species of animals en danged in the growing Indonesian nation. Many myths in the Indonesia center on the species including the myth that they sleep in trees hanging from the tusks.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babirusa

The Babirusa is mostly will be found on the isolated Indonesian islands of Sula, Sulawesi, and Togian. It is likely that their distribution was affected by human intervention, as they seemed to be cherish and gifts between the native tribes.It appears that they have been confined to the higher grounds in the interior despite historically occurring in lowland areas and coastlines in the past. They are active in the daytime and are similar to pigs in their diets and biology. They eat about anything.




The coin is a denomination of 10,000 Rupiah with a silver fineness of 92.5% It weighs 19.44 grams, somewhat smaller that the other coins in the series, has a diameter of 36mm. The mintage of this proof silver coin was 25,000 from the British Royal Mint.

Great set, I really like it but it is too expensive for me ..

I wonder why this coin is slightly below weight of the others. You would think you got 25 ounces of silver for the purchase. Evidently not though. Still, these are GREAT coins. I only own on of them.

Originally Posted by wd40

Great set, I really like it but it is too expensive for me ..

Not just you.

Originally Posted by mrbrklyn

I wonder why this coin is slightly below weight of the others. You would think you got 25 ounces of silver for the purchase. Evidently not though. Still, these are GREAT coins. I only own on of them.

You would have to ask Indonesia and the British Royal mint. I have no idea. Maybe they couldn't afford a bigger coin.

Are you going to break up the set and sell it?

I like the penguin coin. Please post a larger pic of it when you get a chance. TC