South Africa Coins

Explore South Africa's Colorful History With a South African Coin Collection

If you love South African history, then building a rare South African coin collection may be the perfect hobby. Many people enjoy collecting South African coins because there are distinct periods of them in the country's history. If you are ready to start collecting, then look for South African coins for sale on eBay.

You may want to start your collection of vintage South African coins by concentrating on those from one particular historical period, like:

• Griqua coinage - Early undated coins were created between 1815 and 1819 and show an eagle with an olive branch in its mouth. Later coins bearing dates in the 1890s show Queen Victoria's bust on them.
• Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek coinage - Most of these 1890s and early 1900s coins bear the likeness of President Paul Kruger on them, but others show President Thomas Francois Burgers or the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek crest on them.
• South Africa, Dominion coinage - These coins minted between about 1920 and 1960 and are based on the British monetary system. They show Britain's royalty on the obverse and various designs on their backs.
• Rand coins - After South Africa became independent of Great Britain, the country started minting its own money based on the decimal system.

Yes, there are several collectible gold South African coins, including the krugerrand. These coins that are considered legal tender under the South African Reserve Bank Act show the likeness of President Paul Kruger on their obverse and a springbok antelope along with the date on their reverse. They are issued by their weight from 1 troy ounce of gold to 0.1 troy ounce of gold. You can find them as proof or bullion coins with proof coins having 220 edge serrations and bullion coins having 160 edge serrations. The government has also issued a 2017 50th anniversary krugerrand.

Yes, there are at least three South African coins showing President Mandela's likeness. In 1998, the first coin showing the image of Mandela was introduced on his inauguration day. In 2008, the government released an R5 denomination Mandela's 90th birthday coin showing a smiling Mandela wearing a Madiba shirt. The reverse shows the South African coat of arms that was adopted in 2000. The government issued another R5 denomination coin to celebrate Mandela's 100th birthday. A smiling Mandela appears on this coin's front while the reverse shows the South African coat of arms.