Israel Wildlife Series

The most striking fact about the Israel Wildlife Series is that it included a silver shekel depicting the Nubian ibex, an animal so elusive in the Judean Desert that the coin might have been the first clear portrait of one for many.

These coins, issued by the Bank of Israel from 1970 to 1980, featured native species like the mountain gazelle and griffon vulture, all engraved with precise detail by local artists. Struck in proof and uncirculated finishes, they used .900 fine silver and sometimes gold, reflecting the era's push for quality commemoratives. Mintage records for specific years remain spotty; some were lost in archival shifts.

Designs varied by denomination, with the half-shekel often overlooked yet holding its own charm—perhaps because, like the animals it portrayed, it wasn't trying to roar.