Friends of the WCNS
Reward offered
The WCNS is actively promoting the preservation of our heritage. Our national repositories are the custodians of historically important and irreplaceable items. We are aware of numismatic items that have gone missing from these repositories and urge anyone with information to get in touch via our Contact Us channel
The Farouk Sale
(Click to open image in new window)
The telegram shown here confirms the auction sale of Lot No 902, from the collection of King Farouk of Egypt, to Dr Froehlich from Port Elizabeth in 1954. The lot of 19 gold coins included the unique "Single 9" Kruger pond. The fascinating history and discussion about these coins can be found in the publication housed in our library: The Rarest of the Rare - Unique and very Rare Gold Coins of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek - Pdf (31MB)
Coin of the Year Awards 2024
The category winners of the annual Coin of the Year awards were announced on 14 May 2024. South Africa was nominated in three categories, Gold coins, R50 - Buffalo, Circulating coins, 50c - Knysna Loerie, and Bi-Metallic coins, R5 - the Southern Right Whale. The 50c coin, featured elsewhere on this page, won the award for Best Circulating Coin dated 2023. South Africa has always been at the forefront of coin design and has won numerous accolades.
As numismatics is closely connected with history, archaeology, art history, and economics, the language and tasks of numismatics – its terms and techniques - can often be bewildering. From Zevenstuiver to hairline, Unc to Nimbus, find it here. It's the Oxford Dictionary of Numismatics - NNP Dictionary. Note, external link.
Feature Article
Was the Victoria Cross really denied to the South African Soldier Corporal Job Maseko?
In this paper, decorated author, lecturer and expert in Decorations and Medals, Brig Gen Deon Fourie discusses the controversial article published in the British newspaper,
Daily Mail in 2021 under the heading "The hero snubbed for being black: Petition is launched to award Victoria Cross to South African WWII hero who snuck(sic) aboard Nazi ship and blew it up with bomb he built from a tin of condensed milk - but was denied medal due to his race".
The author explains the processes for nominating and awarding such esteemed honours and applies them clearly and methodically to the Maseko case using publicly available facts to reach his conclusion. It is a must-read for both medal collectors and anyone interested in the process of awarding them. Read here.....
Numismatics & Philately promoting each other in South Africa
In the third instalment of our series of themed articles, we explore the historical link between Numismatics and Philately. The first coin to feature on a South African stamp was fittingly the first coin struck for South Africa, the Burgerspond of 1874. On 6 April 1974, the
South African Post Office issued a 9c stamp to coincide with the 5th Numismatic Convention held at the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg, and attended by the Prime Minister Mr B.J. Vorster. The stamp, fixed on an official first-day cover, is shown here. Read the article...
Although man’s interest in dinosaurs and palaeontology goes back to pre-Victorian times, the first coin featuring a dinosaur was only released in 1989. The 1993 blockbuster movie Jurassic Park sparked new interest amongst the general public and a wealth of coins featuring dinosaur motifs were produced in that same year.
We discuss some of these issues, including the 1998 SA Mint-released Natura series set aptly named "Rise of the Dinosaurs". An interesting series of coins for theme collectors. Read more...
The association between sports and numismatics dates back more than two thousand years to the ancient Greek and Roman worlds where some sporting events were depicted on coins. A study revealed that around 75% of South Africans are interested in sports, with approximately 25 million actively participating.
This article examines South African coins that depict sporting events and makes the case for more sporting themes to be featured on South African circulation coins. Read more...
Footnote: Author Pierre Nortje has since been interviewed on national radio, Radio Sonder Grense, where they discussed this topic more broadly. You can listen to the podcasts in two parts in Afrikaans:
Featured Coin Designers
Our fourth instalment features the two designers of the R1 coin from South Africa's 2023 Fourth Decimal Coin Series, a collaboration between Lillian Guerra and Richard Stone of the SA Mint. The new design features the national flag on the obverse side of the coin, while the reverse displays the national flower, the king protea, which has the largest flower head in the genus.
Richard Stone leads Product Development at the South African Mint and has successfully spearheaded projects like redesigning the Krugerrand in 2017 and the current design of South Africa’s Fourth Decimal circulation coin series.
The fate of 200 1899 coinage dies for the State Mint of the Z.A.R.
Shown above is an extract from a piece written by BJ Hern which can be found in our library (ASANS 1). Hern mentions that 20 dies were stolen (not intercepted as was reported). We have now seen more information about this extraordinary event that led to one of the most iconic coins in history, the Single 9 Kruger pond, and yes, 200 is correct. Watch this space for a comprehensive explanation.
Western Cape Numismatic Society Announcements
Membership
Membership of the society is open to all. Enquiries can be made through our Contact Us channel
WCNS Archives
Our comprehensive library consists of SA Numismatic Publications and Government Gazette sections, 1870 - current in Pdf formats, with an added Category Section as a research finding aid. Follow the Library link in the Site Menu bar.
More SA Numismatic resources
Library feature:
Commemorative Medals: LJ De Wet
Lecture given by Africana and Medal expert, LJ De Wet. Commemorative medals of South African interest cover a vast and somewhat neglected field of Africana. Mrs De Wet's account of many of the earliest medals is fascinating and important . Link here...
New Book Release
Hern's Handbook is an essential companion for all collectors of SA Coins and Pattern pieces and needs no introduction. "Buy the book before you buy the coin"
Very little on the history of the SA mint-marked sovereign is described in numismatic literature. Prof. F. Malan's latest publication, The Pretoria Sovereign, sheds more light on these coins, and corrects the mintage figures for 1923 and 1924 . Read the full book review here.
