The mountain gorilla came close to vanishing: a 1981 census counted only 254 animals, and by 2019 there were about 1063. The standing gorilla on this 1000 shillings from Uganda’s «Gorillas of Africa» series recalls that fragile story.

The reverse shows an eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) at full height, facing right, with the inscription «GORILLAS OF AFRICA». The species includes the mountain gorilla, which in Uganda lives in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks; the IUCN assessment of 2018 lists it as endangered.

The series was issued in proof quality with the dates 2002 and 2003 and comprises four scenes: a gorilla sitting, eating, standing, and with its infant. The obverse carries the arms of Uganda, «BANK OF UGANDA» and the value «1000 SHILLINGS».

Proof is not a grade of preservation but a special technique: polished dies produce a mirror field and a frosted relief, so the standing figure seems to rise from the surface. Coins like this are struck specifically for collectors.

With the seated gorilla of the same issue it makes a pair, and all four scenes together form a complete theme around Africa’s gorillas.

The VPcoins catalogue features coins from many countries, making it easy to build a collection by geography or by subject.