Congo Silverback Gorilla Silver

Scottsdale Mint's Congo Silverback Gorilla Silver Series

The Congo Silverback Gorilla is an annual silver bullion coin series struck by Scottsdale Mint on behalf of the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville, not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Running from 2015 through 2023, the series produced nine annual releases, each featuring a new artistic interpretation of the silverback gorilla. The coins are denominated in Congolese Francs (5,000 CFA for the 1 oz silver), carry legal tender status, and are struck in .999 fine silver.

The debut 2015 coin had a mintage of 50,000 pieces, which proved insufficient to meet demand. Scottsdale Mint raised the standard mintage to 75,000 from 2016 onward. These numbers are modest compared to mainstream sovereign coins like the American Silver Eagle (produced in the tens of millions) or the Silver Maple Leaf, but high enough to keep premiums moderate. The series occupies the middle ground between mass-produced bullion and limited-edition collector pieces.

The series is currently on hiatus after the 2023 release. Scottsdale Mint has described the pause as a hiatus rather than a permanent cancellation, leaving open the possibility of future releases. Nine complete annual designs exist, each exploring a different aspect of the silverback gorilla: from aggressive roars and powerful stances to gentler, more emotional portrayals. The 2023 design, depicting an adult gorilla tenderly embracing its offspring, was a notable departure from the solo-animal format that characterised earlier years.

Gold variants were added from 2021-2022: a 1 oz gold proof (just 100 pieces, one of the lowest-mintage gold coins from any sovereign program) and a 1/10 oz gold BU (1,000 pieces). A 1 kilo silver coin was also produced in some years for the collector market. The 1 oz silver BU remains the series' core product and the format most widely held by bullion buyers.

Silverback Gorilla Silver Specifications

Annual Silver Designs

The obverse across all years features the coat of arms of the Republic of Congo, which depicts two elephants flanking a central shield. The pairing of elephants on the obverse with a gorilla on the reverse keeps the coin within African megafauna thematically. Each year's gorilla design is surrounded by an ethnic-style decorative border that has become a visual signature of the series.

The coins have been produced in both Brilliant Uncirculated and Proof-Like finishes over the series' run, with the Proof-Like treatment becoming more prominent in later years. Coloured editions add pad-printed colour to the standard design and carry significantly lower mintages (2,500 for the 2016 coloured version).

Tax Treatment for Congo Silverback Gorilla Coins

As legal tender of the Republic of Congo, the Silverback Gorilla coins receive the tax treatment applicable to foreign sovereign silver coins in each jurisdiction. The .999 purity meets standard investment-grade thresholds.

United States: The .999 silver purity and legal tender status make the 1 oz coin IRA-eligible. The gold variants at .9999 purity also qualify. State sales tax varies; most states exempt precious metals. The US is the primary market for this series, with availability through major dealers including APMEX, JM Bullion, Provident Metals, and SD Bullion. Capital gains are taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28%.

United Kingdom: Silver coins are subject to 20% VAT regardless of foreign legal tender status. The Gorilla coins are not CGT-exempt (only UK legal tender qualifies). Gold versions would be VAT-free as investment gold meeting the purity and legal tender criteria.

Canada: At .999 purity, the coins exceed the 99.9% GST/HST exemption threshold. Canadian buyers pay no purchase tax on qualifying silver bullion.

Australia: Silver coins at 99.9% purity qualify for GST exemption. The .999 fine Gorilla coins meet this threshold.

New Zealand: Fine silver at 99.9% purity is GST-exempt. No capital gains tax applies.

Singapore: Silver coins that are or were legal tender and meet 99.9% purity qualify for Investment Precious Metals (IPM) GST exemption. The Gorilla coins should qualify on both grounds.

Hong Kong: No tax on precious metals. No import duty or capital gains tax.

South Africa: All silver bullion is subject to 15% VAT. No exemption applies for foreign legal tender silver coins.

European Union: VAT treatment for silver coins varies by member state. Germany, a strong market for limited-mintage African sovereign coins, applies 19% VAT on silver, though the margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung) may apply to pre-owned or imported coins, reducing the effective VAT burden.

Nine Years of the Silverback Gorilla

Scottsdale Mint launched the Congo Silverback Gorilla in 2015, partnering with the Republic of Congo to produce a legal tender bullion coin that combined African wildlife imagery with limited mintages. The debut design depicted an aggressive male silverback with mouth open in a roar, setting an immediate tone of raw power. The initial mintage of 50,000 proved too conservative; demand from US and European collectors exceeded supply, and Scottsdale Mint increased the standard run to 75,000 from the second year onward.

The series developed a distinctive pattern of alternating between aggressive and gentle depictions of the gorilla. The 2016 release shifted to a close-up facial portrait with a calmer expression. The 2017 and 2019 editions returned to fearsome stances, while the 2018 release showed a docile, contemplative animal. This alternation kept the series visually dynamic while maintaining a single consistent subject.

The 2021 design marked a shift in composition. Rather than a portrait or posed stance, the gorilla was depicted standing on its hind legs with hands resting on rocks, a naturalistic pose that captured the animal in its environment. The 2022 edition returned to dramatic impact with a mid-roar design emphasising the silverback's muscular form. The 2023 release was the most emotionally resonant in the series: an adult gorilla tenderly embracing its offspring, a departure from the solo-animal format that had defined all previous years.

Gold variants entered the program from 2021. The 1 oz gold proof, limited to just 100 pieces per year, became one of the lowest-mintage gold bullion coins available from any sovereign partnership. The 1/10 oz gold BU at 1,000 pieces offered a more accessible gold entry point while maintaining scarcity. Coloured silver editions appeared from 2016, with the debut coloured coin limited to 2,500 pieces.

The ethnic-style decorative border surrounding the gorilla design has remained consistent across all years, providing visual continuity even as the central portrait changes. The obverse coat of arms, featuring two elephants, creates an inadvertent thematic pairing: two of Africa's most iconic large animals appear on opposite faces of the same coin. Eastern gorillas (Gorilla beringei) are critically endangered, with only about 1,000 mountain gorillas remaining in the wild, giving the series a conservation awareness dimension beyond its bullion function.

After nine annual releases, the series was placed on hiatus following the 2023 edition. Scottsdale Mint's choice of "hiatus" rather than "concluded" or "cancelled" leaves the door open for a return. The nine-year run established the Gorilla as one of the more successful African-themed bullion programs, sitting alongside the longer-running Somalia Elephant series in the collector consciousness.

Congo Silverback Gorilla vs Other African Wildlife Silver Coins

The Gorilla series competes in the African wildlife bullion segment, a niche dominated by a handful of annual programs that combine sovereign legal tender status with wildlife designs and limited mintages.

The Somalia Elephant series, struck by the Bavarian State Mint, is the most direct competitor. Running since 2004, the Elephant has a two-decade track record that dwarfs the Gorilla's nine years. Somalia Elephant mintages are effectively unlimited, keeping premiums lower and secondary market availability higher. The Gorilla's tighter mintages (75,000 vs the Elephant's open production) create more scarcity-driven value for individual year dates. Early Gorilla releases, particularly the 2015 debut, command premiums on the secondary market that standard Somalia Elephants do not. For buyers prioritising low cost per ounce of African-themed silver, the Somalia Elephant wins. For those who value scarcity and year-by-year collectibility, the Gorilla has the edge.

The Rwandan Wildlife series, struck by BH Mayer, features a different African animal each year rather than the same animal in different poses. This rotating-subject approach offers more visual variety but less thematic consistency. The Gorilla's commitment to a single species across nine designs created a cohesive body of work that collectors can engage with as a unified set.

Within Scottsdale Mint's own catalogue, the Commander series targets a different buyer at a higher price point. The Commander's 5 oz format, .9999 purity, and sub-5,000 mintages position it well above the Gorilla's 1 oz / .999 / 75,000 profile. The Gorilla was the more accessible product; the Commander is the prestige offering.

Sovereign bullion coins from major mints offer a fundamentally different value proposition. The Silver Maple Leaf at .9999 purity provides maximum silver purity with unmatched global liquidity. The Silver Philharmonic offers the lowest premiums among sovereign coins. Neither has the limited mintages or annual wildlife designs that define the Gorilla series. Buyers choosing between these options are making a clear choice between commodity-style bullion (maximum metal per pound) and collector-bullion (premium for scarcity and design).

The Gorilla's hiatus creates an interesting secondary market dynamic. With production paused and a finite number of year-dates (2015-2023), the series is now a closed set of nine designs. Complete sets may appreciate in collector value, particularly if the series does not resume. The 2015 debut (50,000 mintage) and coloured editions are the scarcest pieces and command the highest premiums. For buyers who enjoy the series, the current hiatus may represent a window to acquire earlier dates before secondary market prices firm.