2026 Tristan da Cunha Proof Coin – Penguins

This coin features the Coat of Arms of Tristan da Cunha in the top cameo and the seal of The City of Cape Town in the cameo at the bottom of the coin. Cape Town is the nearest port to the island. Tristan da Cunha, the world’s most remote human settlement. The island is highly dependent upon support from Cape Town, the mother city of South Africa. In Tristan da Cunha, the primary penguin is the Northern Rockhopper Penguin, known locally as "Pinnamin," breeding on its islands; while in Cape Town, the native species is the African Penguin, with famous colonies at Boulders Beach, though Northern Rockhoppers can wash ashore, sometimes rescued by SANCCOB and the Two Oceans Aquarium. Two brass minted penguin miniatures fit into the reverse of this coin. Northern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi): The islands are a major breeding ground for this endangered crested penguin, which nests on Gough, Nightingale, and other islands in the group. These penguins are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus): The only penguin species native to the African continent, with significant colonies near Cape Town at Boulders Beach. They are classified as critically Endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 19 800 mature individuals remaining. Facing threats like overfishing and climate change, experts warn they could go extinct in the wild by 2035 if urgent action isn’t taken.