Twenty Cents, Coin Type from South Africa - detailed information

Twenty Cents, Coin Type from South Africa (issued 1961 - )
Coin TypeTwenty Cents

The South African Twenty Cents coin (abbreviated as 20c) 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 two shillings coin, retaining its design, dimensions and metal content.

The silver version of the Twenty Cents was only issued for four years though; in 1965, the Second Decimal Series was introduced, in which the Twenty Cents denomination was made of nickel. This was changed to a smaller bronze-plated steel version with the Third Decimal Series in 1990.

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

Obverse
South Africa / Twenty Cents - obverse photo

The first obverse, designed by Willie Myburg and used between 1961 and 1964, 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 are incuse on the shoulder truncation.

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

The second obverse (1965 - 1969), designed by Tommy Sasseen, has a different portrait of Jan van Riebeeck - facing right; the legend is in one language only - either SOUTH AFRICA or SUID-AFRIKA, with both versions issued every year.

The third obverse (1970 - 1989) displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa at its centre. Below it and to the right, in small letters the initials of the designer T.S. (for Tommy Sasseen).

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

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

With the introduction of the steel version in 1990, the design of the Coat of Arms was slightly revised and the order of the legends was reversed. In 1996, the legend was changed to one language only: AFORIKA BORWA in Tswana.

In 2000, the obverse was updated to the new Coat of Arms of the country, and an annual rotation of the language of the legend was introduced.
Obverse Inscription SUID-AFRIKA * SUID-AFRIKA * [year] *
Reverse
South Africa / Twenty Cents - reverse photo

The first reverse design (1961 - 1964) continues the original reverse of the two shillings coin and shows at its centre the shield of the Coat of Arms of South Africa, without the crest and supporters. The shield is quartered, and each quarter is a symbol of one of the four provinces of South Africa at the time the shield was granted by King George V in 1910. 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.

Below the shield, divided by its tip, the designer's initials KG (for George Kruger Gray).

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

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

Around below, flanked by two rosettes, the value and denomination * 20 c. * (Twenty Cents).

The second reverse (1965 - 1989) depicts a Royal Protea, South Africa's national flower, with sprigs. To the left, the numeral value 20 (Twenty Cents).

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

The third reverse (1990 - present) bears a similar design, but the value and denomination are on the right.
Reverse Inscription 20 c
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Note that there are also some one-ounce silver bullion coins denominated as 20 cents in face value.

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Royal Mint
Royal Mint
Coin Type: Twenty Cents - (70) Coins
Coin NameMintageSymbolLegend
Twenty Cents 1961 2,961,530 Jan van Riebeeck (facing) UNITY IS STRENGTH * EENDRAG MAAK MAG *
Twenty Cents 1962 3,571,844 Jan van Riebeeck (facing) UNITY IS STRENGTH * EENDRAG MAAK MAG *
Twenty Cents 1963 4,384,025 Jan van Riebeeck (facing) UNITY IS STRENGTH * EENDRAG MAAK MAG *
Twenty Cents 1964 4,351,000 Jan van Riebeeck (facing) UNITY IS STRENGTH * EENDRAG MAAK MAG *
Twenty Cents 1965 (English) 29,235,000 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SOUTH AFRICA 1965
Twenty Cents 1965 (Afrikaans) 29,210,000 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SUID-AFRIKA 1965
Twenty Cents 1966 (English) 4,049,000 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SOUTH AFRICA 1966
Twenty Cents 1966 (Afrikaans) 4,074,000 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SUID-AFRIKA 1966
Twenty Cents 1967 (English) 58,000 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SOUTH AFRICA 1967
Twenty Cents 1967 (Afrikaans) 83,000 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SUID-AFRIKA 1967
Twenty Cents 1968 Swart (English) 75,000 SOUTH AFRICA 1968
Twenty Cents 1968 Swart (Afrikaans) 75,000 SUID-AFRIKA 1968
Twenty Cents 1969 (English) 9,952 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SOUTH AFRICA 1969
Twenty Cents 1969 (Afrikaans) 21,952 Jan van Riebeeck (right) SUID-AFRIKA 1969
Twenty Cents 1970 24,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1970 *
Twenty Cents 1971 5,905,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1971 *
Twenty Cents 1972 9,079,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1972 *
Twenty Cents 1973 31,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1973 *
Twenty Cents 1974 2,451,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1974 *
Twenty Cents 1975 13,000,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1975 *
Twenty Cents 1976 Fouché 18,847,000 SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA * 1976 *
Twenty Cents 1977 30,669,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1977 *
Twenty Cents 1978 10,068,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1978 *
Twenty Cents 1979 Diederichs 5,047,000 SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA * 1979 *
Twenty Cents 1980 13,350,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1980 *
Twenty Cents 1981 8,544,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1981 *
Twenty Cents 1982 Vorster 18,095,000 SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA * 1982 *
Twenty Cents 1983 25,681,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1983 *
Twenty Cents 1984 31,618,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1984 *
Twenty Cents 1985 29,338,859 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1985 *
Twenty Cents 1986 11,415,100 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1986 *
Twenty Cents 1987 36,910,781 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1987 *
Twenty Cents 1988 43,122,250 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1988 *
Twenty Cents 1989 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1989 *
Twenty Cents 1990 (Nickel) 98,512,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA * 1990 *
Twenty Cents 1990 (Steel) 44,938 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA 1990
Twenty Cents 1991 53,600 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA 1991
Twenty Cents 1992 21,025,350 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA 1990
Twenty Cents 1993 134,018,692 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA 1993
Twenty Cents 1994 145,012,590 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA 1995
Twenty Cents 1995 108,014,293 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA 1995
Twenty Cents 1996 91,016,503 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 AFERIKA BORWA 1996
Twenty Cents 1997 116,011,111 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 AFERIKA BORWA 1997
Twenty Cents 1998 25,007,538 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 AFERIKA BORWA 1998
Twenty Cents 1999 16,009,299 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 AFERIKA BORWA 1999
Twenty Cents 2000 (Old CoA) 22,011,470 Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910 AFERIKA BORWA 2000
Twenty Cents 2000 (New CoA) 22,000,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa AFERIKA BORWA 2000
Twenty Cents 2001 21,003,678 Coat of Arms of South Africa AFERIKA BORWA 2001
Twenty Cents 2002 42,003,250 Coat of Arms of South Africa South Africa 2002
Twenty Cents 2003 56,002,909 Coat of Arms of South Africa Aforika Borwa 2003
Twenty Cents 2004 113,031,935 Coat of Arms of South Africa Afrika Borwa 2004
Twenty Cents 2005 57,681,944 Coat of Arms of South Africa Suid-Afrika 2005
Twenty Cents 2006 38,081,637 Coat of Arms of South Africa uMzantsi Afrika 2006
Twenty Cents 2007 139,359,280 Coat of Arms of South Africa iNingizimu Afrika 2007
Twenty Cents 2008 251,482,563 Coat of Arms of South Africa iSewula Afrika 2008
Twenty Cents 2009 65,240,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa Afurika Tshipembe 2009
Twenty Cents 2010 125,160,000 Coat of Arms of South Africa Ningizimu Afrika 2010
Twenty Cents 2011 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Afrika-Dzonga 2011
Twenty Cents 2012 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Afurika Tshipembe 2012
Twenty Cents 2013 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Ningizimu Afrika 2013
Twenty Cents 2014 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Afrika-Dzonga 2014
Twenty Cents 2015 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa South Africa 2015
Twenty Cents 2016 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Aforika Borwa 2016
Twenty Cents 2017 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Afrika Borwa 2017
Twenty Cents 2018 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Suid-Afrika 2018
Twenty Cents 2019 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa uMzantsi Afrika 2019
Twenty Cents 2020 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa iNingizimu Afrika 2020
Twenty Cents 2021 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa iSewula Afrika 2021
Twenty Cents 2022 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa Afurika Tshipembe 2022
Twenty Cents 2023 unknown Coat of Arms of South Africa SOUTH AFRICA 2023 SUID-AFRIKA
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Royal Mint
Royal Mint
Twenty Cents: Details
CountrySouth Africa
CurrencyRand
Sub-types Twenty Cents, Silver
Twenty Cents, Nickel
Twenty Cents, Steel
From1961
Face Value20 (x Cent)
CurrentYes
Material
Designer
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size
Mass
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