Collectors Corner
Collecting Odd Shaped Coins
Although coins are normally round-shaped, many countries have, over the years, struck a variety of other shapes including squares, diamonds, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, decagons, and dodecagons. Many collectors find this fascinating and a very interesting numismatic collecting field. However, the only odd-shaped coins struck by the South African Mint were patterns for the ¼ and ½ penny in 1924 and 1925, and again during the Second World War period. See examples from Hern's Handbook below: -
In the past couple of years, some mints have started to strike non-circulating coins for the collectors' market in truly bizarre shapes, some of which many South African collectors are not even aware of. Interesting examples are coins issued by island groups like Palau and Tuvalu in the western Pacific Ocean in the shape of an egg, angel, animals like butterflies, teddy bears, and pigs, and even an iPhone!
Collecting these strangely shaped coins offers a collecting journey to far-flung countries and destinations that are remote, distant, and sometimes not even heard of. Many of the coins are struck in precious metals like silver and gold, offering the collector also the opportunity to acquire bullion as an investment. Even many non-collectors will find these coins interesting purely based on their odd and unnatural shapes and the sometimes colourful themes they display. Who would not be fascinated, for example, by this 25-Dollar piece of 2018 struck by the Royal Canadian Mint?
It is a helmet-shaped replica of a soldier's Mark I steel helmet to honour their fallen soldiers during the First World War (1914-1918).
SA Mint - New coin release
The South African Mint has released a 24ct gold and fine-silver seven-coin series ‘The Odyssey’. The first in the series, The Odyssey of the Skies depicts the Bateleur Eagle.
Click on image to enlarge
Follow the link to the Gazette published on 6 June 2025 for the The dimensions, design and compilation of this series.
Coin of the year 2025
Austria's "Supernova" 20 euro silver coin was awarded the Coin of the Year (COTY) award for 2025. Made of Sterling Silver, it's unique shape illustrates the explosion of a supernova.
Click the play button to see more of this unique shaped coin.
New Coin Catalogue Released
South African error and variety coin collectors will welcome this publication which lists error coins and varieties across five distinct periods of South African coinage, ZAR and 1st, 2nd. 3rd and 4th decimal series. In illustrated catalogue form, the 463 page publication is comprehensive in content, explaining the minting process and mint error types. Our copy needed further editing and proofreading, but a helpful addition to any numismatic library.
Feature Article
Victorian-era Patterns of South Africa
Were they mere fantasy coins?
According to Hern’s Handbook on South African Coins & Patterns, pattern coins (he also calls them salesman’s samples) were struck for the Cape of Good Hope, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek) and Griqua Town during late Victorian times.
In this paper, we will look at the issue of whether they were truly patterns or mere fantasy coins struck for the collectors' market during the late 1800s. Click here to read and decide for yourself.
Seven Short Questions to a Fellow Collector
In this popular column, we send seven questions to random collectors and ask them to share their numismatic interests, knowledge, and tips.
For this instalment, we sent our questions to fellow WCNS committee member Thomas van der Spuy, a past recipient of the Walter Bergman Floating Trophy for his contribution to South African numismatics.
Below are the questions with Thomas’s answers:
Question 1: Tell us about yourself.
My name is Thomas van der Spuy, I’m married and the proud father of two young daughters. For the past four years, my family and I have been living full-time on the beautiful island of Mauritius. I’m a passionate coin collector — my wife calls it a coin-collecting addiction!
I grew up in Melkbosstrand, Western Cape, before moving our family to Mauritius, where I continue to build and manage my collection remotely.
Question 2: How and when did you become interested in collecting?
My fascination with coins began when I was about seven years old. One day, I picked up a 1935 Union Halfpenny on the beach in Melkbosstrand — my first ever coin find. The TygerBurger newspaper even ran a front-page story about it!
Not long after, I started melting down old fishing sinkers I picked up with my dad on low tide, recasting them, and selling them to a local Portuguese fish-and-chips supermarket. They paid me in old decimal coins...
There have been many important military parades in Cape Town, but there cannot have been many at which a Victoria Cross has been presented.
Arrangements had been made for a military parade on the Green Point Common in which 2,000 troops were to participate in the Coronation festivities of King Edward VII. This was a subdued affair, as the King had fallen ill and festivities were cancelled.
Seventy-eight Victoria Crosses were awarded for the South African Campaign, but this appears to have been the only recipient to
receive his award at a Coronation Day parade in South Africa—it was certainly the only V.C. in living memory to be awarded in Cape Town on a Coronation Day.
Read the powerful account of the recipient, Lieutenant Alexander Young, here.
The matter involves Mr P.R. de Villiers (“Oom” Paultjie de Villiers, who was acting Treasurer-General during the Anglo-Boer War and one of the two signatories of the emergency Pietersburg Goewerments Notes), who apparently gave General C.H. Muller a rimmed and rimless gold pond and asked him to have them stamped with the Veldpond dies at Pilgrim’s Rest. (The blank ponde were ordinary Kruger ponde that had not yet been struck, i.e., blanks) After the war, Mint Master P.J. Kloppers visited De Villiers in Stellenbosch and, after studying the two coins, said that they were ordinary Veldponde.
However, De Villiers disagreed and said that the two coins were the last 2 Veldponde struck, and because the blanks were kaalponde (blanks) and not Veldponde, the dies broke (gebars = cracked) because the gold was harder than the Veldpond gold. Kloppers vehemently denied that there was anything wrong with the dies after he gave them to General Muller after the Field Mint was closed.Read the discussion here.
New publication reviewed
Transvaal Erekruis 1876
South Africa's first Military Award for Valour.
It is common knowledge that the Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the British decorations system. It has been awarded since 1856 for valour to members of the British Armed Forces.
What is not common knowledge (actually for all practical purposes unknown to military historians over the past almost 150 years) is the fact that the Volksraad of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republic instituted a similar military Cross for Valour almost a quarter of a century before the outbreak of the Second Boer War.
This booklet reveals the fascinating story of the Transvaal Erekruis, based on information the author, Pierre H. Nortje, sourced from old documents kept at the National Archives in Pretoria.
The publication of this booklet was made possible by a donation from the Western Cape Numismatic Society, to which all funds from the sale thereof will be donated back to the Society.
Western Cape Numismatic Society Announcements
The WCNS is a proudly independent non-profit organisation. Members are required to behave ethically in all Society matters and when acting as Society members.
The objectives of the Society shall be to:
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Foster the study of numismatics.
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Disseminate information about numismatics.
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Encourage the hobby of coin, banknote, token and medal collecting.
Membership
Membership of the society is open to all and 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.
Featured Library Item:
by Dr Clive Graham
A summer school course presented at the University of Cape Town in January 1991. Highly recommended reading!
Friends of the WCNS
Spotlight on Coin Varieties
The 2003 R2 "hunch back" and 1968 frosted springbok R1 coins explained.
Commentary and clarification from a question and answer session at the SA Mint attended by well known die sinkers Tommy Sasseen and Arthur Sutherland.
"With regard to the 2003 R2 coin kudu and hunch-back variety it has become clear that two different matrix / master dies were made, the "hunch back" subsequently remodeled to to the non-hunch back variety - the latter being used for the R2 coins. By default, in 2003, the first model die came to be used for the R2 coins."
"With regard to the 1968 one rand proof coins the frosting (sand blasted) springbok process was only commenced later in the production process of that year's proof one rand coins - accounting for the finding of both frosted and unfrosted varieties for 1968. The variation in the springbok horns has been explained as being the result of die polishing and not a re-modelled variety."
Source: The South African Bank Note Society Review Vol 4 Issue 5
Did you know?
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Official permits to dig for the "Kruger Millions" in the back yard of Paul Kruger's Church Street house in Pretoria, shown below, were issued twice, first in July 1930, and again in May 1933. Nothing was found!
Source: Kruger House Museum
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The two varieties of ZAR Kaalponde are sometimes called the Machadodorp (rimmed) and Lydenburg (rimless) issues - Link
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In January 1980, the gold price reached $850 an ounce. Fractional Krugerrands containing one-tenth, one-quarter, and one-half ounce of gold were released later that same year, making 1980 the first year of issue for fractional Krugerrand coins.
Historical gold price:
1833 - 2025