2018-06-28 Thu

The Pillars of Hercules is situated at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar which separates Gibraltar from Morocco. The Rock of Gibraltar is one of the Pillars of Hercules. Pobjoy Mint had introduced the Primates Four-coin Series for Gibraltar, of which, the fourth and final one was recently released. The new 8 grams 50 pence Cupro Nickel Diamond Finish coin features a coloured Baboon on the reverse and has a mintage limit of 7,500. A magnetic collector’s album carries information about all the four animals and can hold all four coins separately. The series was introduced to create awareness about these endangered animals which are on the verge of becoming extinct due to loss of habitat.

Baboons are the only primates in Africa who interact with people whenever they get a chance. They also gel well with other primates that live on land and can adapt to different habitats. They can be generally spotted in North-west and Central Africa. They have distinct dog-like muzzles and powerful jaws. They also have a cluster of hair on both sides of their faces and large, hairless bottoms - some characteristics that are closer to primates. They live in groups of 12 to hundred members who groom, sleep together and protect each other. They can produce 10 different calls for communication.

Image Courtesy Pobjoy Mint