Collecting South African Numismatic Postcards
By: Pierre H. Nortje - January 2026
The initial postcard was produced in 1870 and rapidly became popular as an inexpensive and fast way to communicate. This, coupled with a passion for collecting, ignited the peak of postcard mailing from the early 1900s until the First World War. Postcards have mainly become associated with vacations and are gradually being overshadowed by modern digital communication methods.
In the early 1900s, a German businessman named Hugo Semmler issued a series of postcards that show embossed images of then-current circulating base metal, silver and gold coins of the world, with a handy exchange-rate chart showing comparable values for common currencies. These were produced in German, French and English. The postcards were distributed in South Africa by a local Johannesburg company named Braune & Levy. Postcards showing pre-Reserve Bank banknotes of South Africa were also distributed by this firm.
For the Transvaal coins, a single design is known existing in several variations. It shows the complete series of coins issued with portrait of President Kruger. There is a variety in flags on the cards reflecting the history of Transvaal, the Anglo Boer War, and the British Influence in South Africa after the war. A similar series was also produced where the word “Transvaal” was replaced by “South Africa” or “Souvernir from South Africa” but also showing the same Kruger coins.
Collectors interested in this topic are encouraged to visit Thomas Engelen’s Numismatic Postcards, 1893-1938 that is available online. His catalogue lists over 2 000 embossed numismatic postcards from 1893 to 1938 from over 80 countries. Also listed are 40 albums and boxes which were issued alongside the cards for safe keeping.
Follow the link to the Collector's Corner Index.