Early South African Coin Dealers
Pierre H. Nortje (June 2025)
The first publication of the South African Numismatic Society, titled “Magazine for 1947”, featured advertisements from three coin dealers. Interestingly, all were British firms: Spink & Son, A.H. Baldwin & Sons, and B.A. Seaby Ltd.
In a handwritten letter dated 17 July 1961, W. Van As - the Honorary Secretary of the Transvaal Numismatic Society - responded to a letter from Mr. P.J. de Jager of Ottosdal. He named the following individuals as the only known coin dealers in South Africa at the time:
• Mr. Bickel of Johannesburg
• Dr. A. Kaplan of Germiston
• Dr. F. Mitchell of Cape Town
• Mr. J. Slater of Pretoria
(The original Afrikaans letter is reproduced in full for historical interest.)
Among the four individuals listed, only Mr. Bickel appears to have run a retail shop. His obituary, published in “Bickel’s Coin & Medal News” (June 1975), states:
“… the doors of the shop at 151 Jeppe Street were opened for business in October 1960. Certainly, this was the first street-level city coin shop on the African continent.”
An article titled “The History of Professional Numismatics in South Africa”, published for the inaugural SAAND (South African Association of Numismatic Dealers) Trade Fair held in Johannesburg on 15-17 April 1982, expands on the early coin dealers not listed by Mr. Van As. Stan Kaplan, author of the article, provided a fuller picture of South Africa’s early numismatic trade.
Stan Kaplan’s article is printed here in full with notes and pictures added by the author of this article.
Source: Library of the WCNS
During the Second World War, a small group of part-time 'collector dealers' emerged. I refer to them as ‘collector dealers’ as they were by no means full-time dealers. These were collectors who occasionally sold duplicate coins. Most were based in the Cape, including:
- Mr. Morris of Fish Hoek
- Mr. Alexander of Cape Town
- Col. Piek of Cape Town
- Col. Knobel of Caledon
Other notable names included Dr. T. Mulock-Bentley of Lindley, Mr. H. Kaplan of Bloemfontein, and Dr. Alec Kaplan of Germiston. In 1950, Dr. Kaplan published the first South African coin catalogue and began part-time trading by converting his collection into stock.
He operated from his home and, fortunately for me, I started to assist him in a part-time capacity in 1952 while he continued the business until his death in 1963.
After that, I transferred the business to my home and, with the assistance of my wife Lilian, we ran the business from there, also on a part-time basis, until we opened our shop in Johannesburg in 1971. In 1975, we were elected members of I.A.P.N. and we are the first, and thus far, the only members of I.A.P.N. in Southern Africa. In 1960, Mr. A. Bickel opened his office — “‘Bickels Coins and Medals”— in Fattis Building, Johannesburg. Later, he moved to a ground-floor shop in Jeppe Street. This business was later sold to Volkskas Bank.
(Note: The brothers Theo and Cliff van Rensburg founded Randburg Coin (Pty) Ltd in 1980 and later bought Bickels Coins from Rick Liggett [who bought it from Volkskas] and incorporated it into their existing operations).
During the 1950s, there were two other dealers, very much of the old school, operating in Johannesburg. One was Mr Ellis and the other Mr. W. Rule. Mr. Rule operated from his flat in Bree Street, but I have no record of the address from which Mr Ellis operated.
One must also bear in mind the fact that Richard Currie Auctioneers played an important role in early professional numismatics in South Africa. I am not sure exactly when they started but probably soon after the Second World War, they held an auction sale of coins once a month. Richard Aron commenced operating as an auctioneer, also holding monthly coin auctions, in the early 1960s.
(Note: In “Bickel’s Coin & Medal News” (March 1967), it was mentioned that a 1931 tickey fetched a record price of R245 at Aron’s auction—sold to Mr. Ivor Lazerson of Johannesburg. Richard Aron was the Chairperson of the Johannesburg Numismatic Club in the 1970’s)
Another gentleman who cannot be omitted from any listing of professional numismatists in South Africa is Mr Philip Greenberg, who started in the late fifties as a collector-dealer based in Brits. He subsequently sold his business in Brits and moved to Pretoria. He is less active now than formerly, but those dealers who did business with Philip will well remember his visits to their homes in the early days. Philip never got out of bed until noon, so he was prepared to buy coins all night! The fact that the dealer whom he was visiting had an early start in the morning never bothered Philip, and he never left before 2 or 3 a.m.
Peter and Gail Bowles started operating from their home in the southern suburbs in 1961, later moving to another house in Melville. In 1967, they opened their coin shop in Braamfontein, which was in fact the second coin shop in Johannesburg. Since then, they have moved twice. Their last move to a new shop took place in December 1981. Peter started with an enormous stock of uncirculated South African coins and has built his business from his very fine foundation. During 1980, he published his book entitled South African Numismatic Trends.
(Note: Brian Hern, the well-known South African numismatist, initially worked with Peter and Gail Bowles and co-wrote the book with them. Brian later started his own coin business, The Coin Shoppe, in Johannesburg. The pictures on the right are from the Johannesburg Centenary Numismatic Convention publication of May 1986.)
The late Alan Jaffe started trading, also on a part-time basis, in about 1965 and later opened the first coin shop in Cape Town. Since his very sudden death, his wife Natalie has run City Coins in a most efficient and competent manner.
(Note: Allen and Natalie Jaffe founded City Coins in 1967 and opened their shop in Tulbach Square in Cape Town in 1969. The next year, Allen published the South African Coin Collector’s Handbook and afterwards started issuing postal medal and coin auctions. After Natalie’s death in 2023, her daughter Sharon took over the business, partnering with Doron Duveen. The picture above on the right is of Allen Jaffe from their website. The picture was originally published in the Afrikaans newspaper Rapport, with a short article on the coin he is holding in his hand: a South African Farthing of 1926, then valued at R10 000).
One of the most colourful characters in numismatics was, without doubt, the late Gerrit van Niekerk. He was, I firmly believe, the finest salesman in the business. He could literally sell anything, and all the coins he sold, irrespective of condition, were “uncirculated".
(Note: In the late 1960s and 1970s van Niekerk was trading in coins in Pretoria and would become infamous for selling forgeries of the 1900 Kruger Pond - the so-called “perfect forgery”. See The “Perfect” Forgery - The Story of the Fake Kruger Pond of 1900.) When he retired, his premises were taken over by Claude V. Malan Stamps & Coins in circa 1976.)
During the late 1960’s many new dealers started business. One of the earliest of these was Maurice Jaffe of Cape Town. Colin Owen started operating in the late 1960’s and Leon Saitowitz entered the field in a part-time capacity about this time. Today, Leon has a big operation in the Carlton Centre.
No history of professional numismatics in South Africa would be complete without reference to Abe Levine. He opened a small shop, called Portobello Coins, in the building which later made way for the new Sanlam Centre. Whilst the financial side of the business was not particularly important to Abe Levine, he certainly got an enormous amount of pleasure from his little shop. Freddie Bowles worked for Abe Levine in the early days, after serving his apprenticeship with his brother Peter Bowles.
The late Max Aron ran the Union Diamond Exchange for many years and, whilst he never sold a gold coin, he was always prepared to buy them. Nigel McLean had a couple of unsuccessful ventures in the coin business before finally arriving in the Carlton Centre.
(Note: Collectors Investments, a family-owned business, was founded in 1970 by Nigel McLean (deceased 2017), who was joined by his sons Bruce in 1988 and Andrew in 2013. The company was one of the founding members of the South African Association of Numismatic Dealers.)
Hymie Chain also started on a part-time basis but opened Numismatika in about 1970. Eli Levine's Gold Coin Exchange opened in about 1972, and since then, many dealers have opened.
John Keogh started as a part-time dealer in 1964 and operated as Krown Koin Kompany. He published possibly the first postal auction as well as a fixed price list. He opened his first office in Durban in 1975 and could well be called the first coin dealer in Durban. In 1976, he published the first comprehensive catalogue of the coins of Rhodesia.
(Note: John Keogh, in August 1977, advertised the famous and unique “Menne” Single Shaft Half Pond of 1892 for R36 000 but it did not sell. The coin was later mysteriously lost and never appeared on the market again – see The Mystery of the 1892 ZAR single shaft ½ pond - Part 2
Source: Library of the WCNS
Prior to John opening up in Durban, several of the antique dealers sold coins there, but could not really be called coin dealers. I believe that I would be correct in saying that there are today 35 dealers in South Africa.
Further Notes
Quite a few of the numismatic dealers in South Africa of the 1960s and 1970s are not named by Kaplan in his article. One of the best known was Jack McArthur Day (“Mac”) of Cape Town. He was born in 1912 in Australia and immigrated to South Africa when he was 25 years old.
Source: WCNS Library
He entered the retail pharmacy field, first in Bloemfontein, then in Stellenbosch and finally on his own in Bergvliet, a suburb of Cape Town. As a sideline business, he started Days’ Postal Coin Auctions and periodically issued fixed price lists. Number 5, of which the WCNS has a copy, is dated 9 December 1967. Day advertised (and sold) the well-known “Single 9” Kruger Pond in his price list number 9 in 1969 for R2 530.00.
Two other Cape Town dealers that the author remembers were firstly H.B. (Bertie) Zuck, who had a little coin shop on the 8th floor of the old Volkskas Building in upper Adderley Street. As a matter of interest, when Volkskas Bank took over Bickels Coins, they started to sell coins (e.g. proof sets) in 1971, displayed in cabinets at many of their branches. The other dealer was Don Mackenzie, who ran Dons Coins in Tulbagh Square, very near to where City Coins was then situated.
In 1974, Eddie Absil started to deal in coins, medallions and bank notes in Johannesburg and periodically issued fixed price lists. In 2006, he immigrated to the Netherlands and took over Schulman b.v. - The oldest Dutch coin auction house (established in 1880).
Price Lists
In the pre-Internet era, many coin dealers issued fixed and auction price lists. Here are some examples from the library of the Western Cape Numismatic Society.
Collectors Mail Auctions was situated in Bergvliet and issued both stamp and coin lists. It was run by Ralph F. Putzel, a well-known philatelist of the previous century. The other two dealers are both named in this article.
Phoenix Auctions was owned by Eli Levine, who founded the South African Gold Coin Exchange. In his lists numbered 21 and 30, published in 1980 and 1983, respectively, he listed (and sold) the world-famous “Single 9” Kruger Pond. The two other lists are from City Coins and P&G Coin Company. Both businesses are still in operation today.
Numis Africana was the price list of Good Hope Coins that was run by Conrad E. Bell from his home in Table View, Cape Town. Chimperie Agencies was a company owned by the late Colin Owen, who ran his business from Benoni and later from Somerset West in the Western Cape. He is the author of the well-known book The Military Badges and Insignia of Southern Africa.
A few last observations
The reader shall remember that in his article, Kaplan mentioned, “During the 1950s, there were two other dealers, very much of the old school, operating in Johannesburg. One was Mr. Ellis, and the other Mr. W. Rule. Mr. Rule operated from his flat in Bree Street, but I have no record of the address from which Mr Ellis operated”.
We have never heard of either of these two gentlemen, and decided to do some research on them
In the SANS Newsletter of November 1948 (Vol 1. No. 3), a Mr Rule of Johannesburg is recorded as a member of the society. His address is given as 12 Palace Buildings, Pritchard Street, Johannesburg. In the newsletters of August 1950 and May 1951, two short articles were published on South African tokens that were written by a W. Rule / W. M. Rule. We believe this to be the person Kaplan was referring to. As a matter of interest, the Palace Building, fondly known as the “Eiffel Tower of the Rand”, was demolished in 1957 and Rule then probably moved to Bree Street.
The Palace Building in the 1950s before it was demolished. Source: Artifacts.co.za
Regarding Mr Ellis: Collectors of coins of the ZAR will know that there are two varieties of the Burgerspond of 1874, namely the so-called fine and coarse beard issues. Virtually all sources that we have consulted state that the differences were first spotted by a person by the name of A.J. Ellis in 1944.
This is incorrect on two accounts. His initials are actually H.J. and the date 1942. In the SANS Newsletter of March 1950 (Vol. 2 No. 4) Mr. J.T. Becklake comments on the then newly published coin catalogue of Dr. Alec Kaplan and writes ”I would like to see, for example, a reference to the work done by Mr. H. J. Ellis over a period of years in collating evidence as to the two types of Burger sovereigns produced, and which was first recorded by him in the Sunday Times of 22nd March, 1942.”
In the SANS Newsletter of November 1953 (Vol. 4 No. 7), he is recorded as a new member of the society with his full initials given as Mr. H.J.A. Ellis of Box 844, Johannesburg.
In a short notice in Bickels Coin & Medal News published in September 1966 (Vol. 2 No. 3), it reports that “Mr. Harry Joseph Ellis, who was reputed to be the first coin dealer in the Transvaal, died on August 15 at his Johannesburg home. Mr. Ellis was the father of Transvaal numismatics and in the early twenties, sold coins to many people who are today recognized as the leading experts in the province.”