The Lion King — final scene (gold 1 oz)

The Lion King is a feature-length animated film by Walt Disney Animation Studios, released in June 1994; it was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and produced by Don Hahn. It tells the story of the lion cub Simba, heir to the throne in the Pride Lands: his father, King Mufasa, dies as a result of a scheme by his own brother Scar, the boy flees in despair, finds new friends — the meerkat Timon and the warthog Pumbaa, who live by the motto “Hakuna Matata” (“no worries” in Swahili) — but returns as an adult to accept responsibility and restore harmony to the kingdom. This is exactly how the mint itself describes the film: a true journey of initiation in which the hero must overcome a tragic loss, forgive himself for his mistakes and take his rightful place. The music was written by Hans Zimmer, the songs by Elton John and Tim Rice; “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” have long lived on their own, and in 1995 the film won Academy Awards for its score and for the song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”. The plot is often compared with Shakespeare’s Hamlet: a murdered king, a usurping uncle and an heir who must reclaim what is his. Later came a Broadway musical (1997), Jon Favreau’s live-action version (2019) and the film Mufasa: The Lion King (December 2024).

For the 30th anniversary of the premiere the Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris) issued, under a Disney licence, the collection “Disney — The Lion King, 30th anniversary” (Le Roi Lion, 30ème anniversaire). According to the mint and the Numista catalogue it comprises seven coins: three silver 10-euro coins (a coloured .333 silver coin in a card, a coloured .999 silver “Hakuna Matata” coin and a rectangular uncoloured .999 silver coin), a five-ounce silver 50-euro coin and three gold coins of 5, 50 and 200 euros. The mint calls it a “new collection” celebrating the timeless heritage of Walt Disney, where the studio’s characters meet the age-old craftsmanship of the Monnaie de Paris; a separate miniset of the three new French 10, 20 and 50 euro-cent coins (mintage 500) was also released — it is not counted as a coin of the issue. The engraver of all the round coins of the collection, according to Numista, is Joaquin Jimenez, chief engraver of the Mint since 2020.

The summit of the collection is the rectangular gold 200 euros: one troy ounce (31.1 grams) of .999 gold, dimensions 38 × 29.1 millimetres, Belle Épreuve, a mintage of only 250 pieces and a mint price of 5,300 euros. Numista: N# 445819, KM# 3468; on Numista it is linked to the silver rectangular 10 euros as a type with the same design. It is uncoloured, but the “plaque” format and the ounce weight make it the weightiest coin of the issue; the mintage of 250 is the lowest in the collection. It comes in a case with a certificate.

The subject is the film’s finale: Simba and Nala, now king and queen, present their cub, held in the arms of Rafiki — the culmination that returns the viewer to the first frames with the ceremony on Pride Rock. In the film Rafiki is a mandrill shaman and keeper of knowledge of the circle of life: it is he who anoints Simba at the beginning and he who holds the heir at the end.

Obverse

The artistic side: the final scene — Simba, Nala and the cub in Rafiki’s arms; the coin carries the year “2024”. Relief on the gold field, without colour.

Reverse

The official side shows Mufasa majestically rising above Lion’s Rock — a symbol of the strength and wisdom inherited by Simba. It also carries the face value “200 EURO”, the initials of the French Republic “RF”, the copyright mark “© Disney”, the Disney logo and the inscription “LE ROI LION”.