Seventy-five years after its original release in August 1942, Bambi has endured as a perennial classic and was commemorated on two new coins issued by Australia’s Perth Mint.
Loosely based on the novel published in 1923 by Austrian writer Felix Salten called Bambi, a Life in the Woods, the film explores more serious themes than any other Disney animation as it follows the birth and growth of a young deer named Bambi and the challenges he faces as he and his father, mother and friends fight to survive against the human hunter named Man.
Deep in the heart of the woods Bambi struggles to take his first steps as he explores his new world with his friends Thumper, a loveable rabbit, a bashful skunk named Flower, and his future mate, Faline. Along the way he learns valuable lessons about love, life, and loss.
The mint released a quarter-ounce gold coin (shown above) and a one-ounce silver coin.
The film is at times quite haunting and anyone who watched it as a child will still remember the devastating shooting of Bambi’s mother and the fire which blazed through the woods destroying the animals’ habitat. The intense thunderstorm sequences, fires and angry hunting dogs make Bambi an intense film with many messages for young viewers, but there are also light-hearted moments as we see Bambi struggle to find his footing on his long, slender legs, while the skating scene with Thumper is one of Disney’s most charming cinematic moments.
SILVER & GOLD
The coins’ reverse design (silver shown above) depicts Bambi and his forest friends Thumper and Flower.
Last month, Perth Mint issued a one-ounce silver coin and a quarter-ounce gold coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the release of Bambi. Housed in prestigious timber boxes with limited mintages of 10,000 and 1,000 units respectively, the coins’ reverse design features an engraved image of Bambi with his forest friends Thumper and Flower.
Issued by New Zealand Mint as legal tender under the Pacific island of Niue, the coins’ obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination, and the 2017 year-date.