Twenty Cents, Nickel, Coin Type from South Africa (showing photos)

Twenty Cents, Nickel, Coin Type from South Africa (issued 1965 - 1990)

Coin Type	Twenty Cents, Nickel

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.

The obverse showed a portrait of Jan van Riebeeck until 1969, with the legend in one language only - either English or Afrikaans, with both versions issued every year. It was then changed to have the Coat of Arms of South Africa, with a bilingual legend. The obverse was re-engraved in 1984, so carries a new engraver's signature after that. Apart from the regular designs, there were also four commemorative issues with different obverses.

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

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 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).

Reverse Inscription	20

Edge	Plain	Edge Inscription	None

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Coin Type: Twenty Cents, Nickel - (31) Coins

Coin Name	Reverse	Obverse	Details
Twenty Cents 1965 (English)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 29,235,000
Twenty Cents 1965 (Afrikaans)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 29,210,000
Twenty Cents 1966 (English)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 4,049,000
Twenty Cents 1966 (Afrikaans)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 4,074,000
Twenty Cents 1967 (English)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 58,000
Twenty Cents 1967 (Afrikaans)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 83,000
Twenty Cents 1968 Swart (English)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 75,000
Twenty Cents 1968 Swart (Afrikaans)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 75,000
Twenty Cents 1969 (English)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 9,952
Twenty Cents 1969 (Afrikaans)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 21,952
Twenty Cents 1970			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 24,000
Twenty Cents 1971			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 5,905,000
Twenty Cents 1972			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 9,079,000
Twenty Cents 1973			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 31,000
Twenty Cents 1974			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 2,451,000
Twenty Cents 1975			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 13,000,000
Twenty Cents 1976 Fouché			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 18,847,000
Twenty Cents 1977			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 30,669,000
Twenty Cents 1978			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 10,068,000
Twenty Cents 1979 Diederichs			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 5,047,000
Twenty Cents 1980			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 13,350,000
Twenty Cents 1981			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 8,544,000
Twenty Cents 1982 Vorster			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 18,095,000
Twenty Cents 1983			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 25,681,000
Twenty Cents 1984			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 31,618,000
Twenty Cents 1985			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 29,338,859
Twenty Cents 1986			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 11,415,100
Twenty Cents 1987			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 36,910,781
Twenty Cents 1988			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 43,122,250
Twenty Cents 1989			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: unknown
Twenty Cents 1990 (Nickel)			Material: Nickel Mint: South African Mint Mintage: 98,512,000

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Twenty Cents, Nickel: Details

Country	South Africa
Currency	Rand
Sub-type of	Twenty Cents
From	1965
To	1990
Face Value	20 (x Rand)
Current	No; withdrawn 1991
Material	Nickel
Designer	Tommy Sasseen
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	24.2000 mm
Thickness	1.8400 mm
Mass	6.0000 g

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