Five Cents, Nickel, Coin Type from South Africa

Five Cents, Nickel, Coin Type from South Africa (issued 1965 - 1989)

Coin Type	Five Cents, Nickel

The South African Five Cents coin (abbreviated as 5c) was a small circulating coin of the Rand currency. It was introduced when the currency was decimalised in 1961 and replaced the earlier pre-decimal sixpence.

The first version was made of silver and was only issued for four years. In 1965, the Second Decimal Coinage was introduced, in which the Five Cents denomination was made of nickel. This was changed to a larger copper-plated steel version in 1990, issued until 2011 after which time the denomination was discontinued.

Apart from the regular designs, there were also four commemorative issues with different obverses.

Obverse

The obverse of the coin displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa at its centre, as granted to the Union of South Africa by King George V and later amended by the British College of Arms. It contains representation of the four provinces within the Union.

The Coat of Arms features a shield quartered, each quarter a symbol of one of the four provinces of South Africa. An ox wagon represents Transvaal Province, a woman with an anchor represents Cape Province, two wildebeests represent Natal Province and an orange tree represents the Orange Free State Province. The crest of the arms features a lion holding four bound sticks. The supporters are a springbok and a gemsbok. Below the arms, the Latin motto, EX UNITATE VIRES (translated at first as "Union Is Strength", but from 1961 translated as "Unity Is Strength").

Around left, the name of the country in Afrikaans: SUID-AFRIKA; around right, the name in English: SOUTH AFRICA.

Below, the date of issue: * [year] *.

Obverse Inscription	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * [year] *

Reverse

The reverse of the coin depicts a Blue Crane bird, looking right. To the right of the bird, the value and denomination 5 c (Five Cents).

Below right, the initials of the designer T.S. (for Tommy Sasseen).

Reverse Inscription	5 c

Edge	Plain	Edge Inscription	None

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Royal Mint

Coin Type: Five Cents, Nickel - (30) Coins

Coin Name	Mintage	Symbol	Legend
Five Cents 1965 (English)	32,715,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1965
Five Cents 1965 (Afrikaans)	32,689,999	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1965
Five Cents 1966 (English)	4,101,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1966
Five Cents 1966 (Afrikaans)	4,126,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1966
Five Cents 1967 (English)	4,590,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1967
Five Cents 1967 (Afrikaans)	4,615,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1967
Five Cents 1968 Swart (English)	6,025,000		SOUTH AFRICA 1968
Five Cents 1968 Swart (Afrikaans)	6,000,000		SUID-AFRIKA 1968
Five Cents 1969 (English)	5,020,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1969
Five Cents 1969 (Afrikaans)	5,032,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1969
Five Cents 1970	6,662,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1970 *
Five Cents 1971	20,341,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1971 *
Five Cents 1972	3,126,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1972 *
Five Cents 1973	17,103,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1973 *
Five Cents 1974	19,993,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1974 *
Five Cents 1975	22,000,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1975 *
Five Cents 1976 Fouché	48,991,000		SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA 1976
Five Cents 1977	51,748,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1977 *
Five Cents 1978	30,069,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1978 *
Five Cents 1979 Diederichs	17,550,000		SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA * 1979 *
Five Cents 1980	46,680,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1980 *
Five Cents 1981	40,361,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1981 *
Five Cents 1982 Vorster	47,248,000		SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA * 1982 *
Five Cents 1983	57,501,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1983 *
Five Cents 1984	67,356,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1984 *
Five Cents 1985	57,176,859	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1985 *
Five Cents 1986	54,233,100	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1986 *
Five Cents 1987	42,791,297	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1987 *
Five Cents 1988	110,171,250	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1988 *
Five Cents 1989	35,540,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1989 *

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Royal Mint

Five Cents, Nickel: Details

Country	South Africa
Currency	Rand
Sub-type of	Five Cents
From	1965
To	1989
Face Value	5 (x Cent)
Current	No; withdrawn 1990
Material	Nickel
Designer	Tommy Sasseen
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	17.3500 mm
Thickness	1.6000 mm
Mass	2.5000 g

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Five Cents, Nickel, Coin Type from South Africa - detailed information