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

The South African Fifty Cents coin (abbreviated as 50c) is a small circulating coin of the Rand currency. It was introduced when the currency was decimalised in 1961 and replaced the earlier pre-decimal five shillings coin, retaining its design, dimensions and metal content; the coin is thus directly descended from (and initially compatible with) the British silver Crown denomination.

The silver version of the Fifty Cents was only issued for four years though. In 1965, the Second Decimal Series was introduced, in which the Fifty Cents denomination was made of nickel.

The denomination was changed to a smaller bronze-plated steel version with the Third Decimal Series in 1990.

The reverse features a Strelitzia (Strelitzia Reginae) Crane Flower or Bird-of-Paradise flower, which occurs in the warm valleys of Zululand near the sea. With its long lasting, brilliant orange and blue flowers, this indigenous plant was introduced into cultivation in England towards the end of the 18th century and became a popular florist plant. This South African native has adapted so happily to foreign climates that it has even been adopted as the civic emblem of the American City of Los Angeles.

The obverse displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa at its centre. This was the old (1910) Coat of Arms until 2000, then was updated to the current symbol. The legend was initially bilingual, then one language only, then bilingual again from 2012. An annual rotation of the language of the legend was instituted after 2001, with one of the eleven official languages of the country displayed each year.