Pobjoy Mint released the second last coin from their famous series of 6 coins dedicated to different types of flamingos. The reverse side of this coin depicts an adult Andean flamingo with its chick while the obverse side features an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The 8 grams coin is issued for the British Virgin Islands, has a diameter of 28.4 millimetres and a mintage limit of 3,500 pieces. The coloured coin is struck in Virenium, a special light golden metal developed by Pobjoy Mint. A collector’s album is also available which offers information about the penguins featured on the coins from this series.

Andean flamingo is one of the rarest flamingos in the world. It has a light pink body, brighter underparts, a deep pink lower neck, breast and wing coverts. Out of all the other species, only the Andean flamingo has yellow legs and three-toed feet.

Flamingos are known for their long legs, long curvy necks and their pink colour. These social birds can live in a colony of thousands. This keeps them safe from predators and also helps them use scarce nesting sites effectively. These monogamous birds lay a single egg in a year and do not lay another one even if that egg is lost or damaged. Chicks are generally grey or white in colour. They initially have a straight bill that curves as they grow older.

Image Courtesy: Pobjoy Mint