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

The obverse of the coin displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa at its centre. Below that, the initials of the engraver: ALS (for Arthur Sutherland).

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

Below, the date of issue: [year].

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

Below left, the initials of the designer GJR (for Gert Richards).

About the design, the South African Mint says:
The Blue Crane (Anthropoides Paradisea) is our national bird and is found throughout the large Savannah areas of South Africa, usually near water. Each bird is about 105 cm tall with both sexes identical. Identification is easy because of the large head with dark brown irises and a pinkish bill. Nesting pairs seem to mate for life and use the same nesting sites. The Blue Crane population is thriving. As the Blue Crane is more-or-less confined to South Africa, it has been used only on South African coins. Our second decimal series. 1965 to 1990, had the Blue Crane on the nickel 5c and it was retained on the copper plated 5c on the third decimal series, but with a redesigned image. The Blue Crane portrayed on the reverse of the South African 5c was modeled by G Richard; the obverse was modeled by A Sutherland. The design was developed from an original artwork by the well-known artist, Dick Findley. The artwork is on display at the South African Mint’s museum.