Fifty Cents, Silver, Coin Type from South Africa - detailed information

The obverse features the portrait of Johan Anthoniszoon van Riebeeck, known as Jan van Riebeeck (1619-1677), Dutch colonial administrator and founder of Cape Town and considered by many people to be the founding father of the South African nation. The designer's initials WM (for Willie Myburg) are incuse on the shoulder truncation.

Around left, the motto EENDRAG MAAK MAG in Afrikaans; separated from that by two decorative rosettes, around right the same in English: UNITY IS STRENGTH.

The reverse shows at its centre a Springbok antelope, the national animal symbol of South Africa.

The designer's initials CLS (for Coert Laurens Steynberg) are in the right field between the letters IC of AFRICA and the ground under the Springbok.

Above, the date of issue: + [year] +.

Around left and around right, respectively the legend SUID-AFRIKA in Afrikaans and SOUTH AFRICA in English.

Around below, flanked by two rosettes, the value and denomination * 50 c. * (Fifty Cents).

This design was initially used on the pre-decimal five shillings, half pound and one pound coins; it is now displayed on the iconic Krugerrand bullion coin series.

The likeness on the obverse of the coin is based on a portrait painted by Dirck Craey which is now in the possession of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum; it is now thought that the painting was actually of another Dutchman named Bartholomeus Vermuyden, and not of Jan van Riebeeck.

Note that there are also some two-ounce silver bullion coins denominated as 50 cents in face value.