The Central Bank of Mongolia has issued a commemorative coin dedicated to the Gobi brown bear which is on the verge of extinction.

The coin made of pure silver has the shape of a circle with a diameter of 38.61 mm and a price of 300,000 togrog (USD 122).

An image of the Gobi brown bear – also known as the Mazaalai – which only lives in the Mongolian Gobi Desert, together with the inscriptions “Mongolia,” “Central Bank of Mongolia” and the year, “2017,” are on the front side of the coin.

The Central Bank said that the coin was issued to raise public awareness of protecting the critically endangered bear.

According to experts, there are now only 22 to 30 Gobi brown bears in Mongolia.