Fifty Cents 1961, Coin from South Africa

Fifty Cents 1961, Coin from South Africa (withdrawn 1965)

Coin	Fifty Cents 1961

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.

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

Thus, 50c coins issued in 1961 circulated for only four years until they were replaced with the nickel version.

Mint	South African Mint	Mint Mark	No mint mark	Total Mintage	54,530

Obverse

The obverse 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 (for Willie Myburg) are incuse on the shoulder truncation.

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

Obverse Inscription	EENDRAG MAAK MAG * UNITY IS STRENGTH *

Reverse

The reverse shows at its centre a Springbok antelope, the national animal symbol of South Africa.

The designer's initials CLS (for Coert Laurens Steynberg) are in the right field between the letters IC of AFRICA and the ground under the Springbok.

Above, the date of issue: + 1961 +.

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

Around below, flanked by two rosettes, the value and denomination * 50 c. * (Fifty Cents).

This design was initially used on the pre-decimal five shillings, half pound and one pound coins; it is now displayed on the iconic Krugerrand bullion coin series.

Reverse Inscription	SUID-AFRIKA + 1961 + SOUTH AFRICA * 50 c. *

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Fifty Cents 1961: Known varieties

Variety	Prooflike
Mintage	Issued: 20,000 (included in total)
Variety	Proof
Mintage	Issued: 8,530 (included in total)

All (72) coins of type: Fifty Cents

Coin Name	Mintage	Symbol	Legend
Fifty Cents 1961	54,530	Jan van Riebeeck (facing)	EENDRAG MAAK MAG * UNITY IS STRENGTH *
Fifty Cents 1962	24,868	Jan van Riebeeck (facing)	EENDRAG MAAK MAG * UNITY IS STRENGTH *
Fifty Cents 1963	157,025	Jan van Riebeeck (facing)	EENDRAG MAAK MAG * UNITY IS STRENGTH *
Fifty Cents 1964	127,000	Jan van Riebeeck (facing)	EENDRAG MAAK MAG * UNITY IS STRENGTH *
Fifty Cents 1965 (English)	unknown	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1965
Fifty Cents 1965 (Afrikaans)	53,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1965
Fifty Cents 1966 (English)	8,081,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1966
Fifty Cents 1966 (Afrikaans)	8,056,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1966
Fifty Cents 1967 (English)	77,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1967
Fifty Cents 1967 (Afrikaans)	52,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1967
Fifty Cents 1968 Swart (English)	750,000		SOUTH AFRICA 1968
Fifty Cents 1968 Swart (Afrikaans)	775,000		SUID-AFRIKA 1968
Fifty Cents 1969 (English)	19,968	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1969
Fifty Cents 1969 (Afrikaans)	7,968	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1969
Fifty Cents 1970	4,108,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1970 *
Fifty Cents 1971	5,074,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1971 *
Fifty Cents 1972	781,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1972 *
Fifty Cents 1973	1,054,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1973 *
Fifty Cents 1974	1,957,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1974 *
Fifty Cents 1975	4,906,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1975 *
Fifty Cents 1976 Fouché	9,653,000		SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA * 1976 *
Fifty Cents 1977	10,215,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1977 *
Fifty Cents 1978	5,088,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1978 *
Fifty Cents 1979 Diederichs	5,066,000		SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA * 1979 *
Fifty Cents 1980	4,283,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1980 *
Fifty Cents 1981	5,691,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1981 *
Fifty Cents 1982 Vorster	2,082,000		SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA * 1982 *
Fifty Cents 1983	5,164,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1983 *
Fifty Cents 1984	9,698,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1984 *
Fifty Cents 1985	13,348,859	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1985 *
Fifty Cents 1986	2,301,100	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1986 *
Fifty Cents 1987	19,077,781	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1987 *
Fifty Cents 1988	27,705,250	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1988 *
Fifty Cents 1989	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1989 *
Fifty Cents 1990 (Nickel)	29,442,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1990 *
Fifty Cents 1990 (Steel)	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1990
Fifty Cents 1991	24,015,200	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1991
Fifty Cents 1992	18,015,050	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1992
Fifty Cents 1993	65,010,892	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1993
Fifty Cents 1994	12,006,690	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1994
Fifty Cents 1995	58,008,393	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1995
Fifty Cents 1996	41,016,503	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFRIKA BORWA 1996
Fifty Cents 1997	38,011,111	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFRIKA BORWA 1997
Fifty Cents 1998	1,159,538	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFRIKA BORWA 1998
Fifty Cents 1999	1,161,299	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFRIKA BORWA 1999
Fifty Cents 2000 (Old CoA)	1,163,470	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFRIKA BORWA 2000
Fifty Cents 2000 (New CoA)	1,152,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa	AFRIKA BORWA 2000
Fifty Cents 2001	1,155,678	Coat of Arms of South Africa	AFRIKA BORWA 2001
Fifty Cents 2002	16,003,250	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Aforika Borwa 2002
Fifty Cents 2002 Football	16,000,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Aforika Borwa 2002
Fifty Cents 2002 Cricket	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Aforika Borwa 2002
Fifty Cents 2003	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afrika Borwa 2003
Fifty Cents 2003 Cricket	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afrika Borwa 2003
Fifty Cents 2004	43,925,935	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Suid-Afrika 2004
Fifty Cents 2005	26,609,944	Coat of Arms of South Africa	uMzantsi Afrika 2005
Fifty Cents 2006	40,129,637	Coat of Arms of South Africa	iNingizimu Afrika 2006
Fifty Cents 2007	63,553,280	Coat of Arms of South Africa	iSewula Afrika 2007
Fifty Cents 2008	141,313,563	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afurika Tshipembe 2008
Fifty Cents 2009	7,680,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Ningizimu Afrika 2009
Fifty Cents 2010	55,104,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afrika-Dzonga 2010
Fifty Cents 2011	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	South Africa 2011
Fifty Cents 2012	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afrika-Dzonga 2012 Ningizimu Afrika
Fifty Cents 2013	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	South Africa 2013 Afrika-Dzonga
Fifty Cents 2014	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Aforika Borwa 2014 South Africa
Fifty Cents 2015	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afrika Borwa 2015 Aforika Borwa
Fifty Cents 2016	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Suid-Afrika 2016 Afrika Borwa
Fifty Cents 2017	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	uMzantsi Afrika 2017 Suid-Afrika
Fifty Cents 2018	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	iNingizimu Afrika 2018 uMzantsi Afrika
Fifty Cents 2019	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	iSewula Afrika 2019 iNingizimu Afrika
Fifty Cents 2020	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afurika Tshipembe 2020 iSewula Afrika
Fifty Cents 2021	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Ningizimu Afrika 2021 Afurika Tshipembe
Fifty Cents 2022	unknown	Coat of Arms of South Africa	Afrika-Dzonga 2022 Ningizimu Afrika

Advertising

Buy American Gold Buffalo Coins

My Collection

Please sign up and/or log in.

You will then be able to manage your collection and record whether you have or want this coin.

Fifty Cents 1961: Details

Country	South Africa
Currency	Rand
Coin Type	Fifty Cents, Silver
Issued	1961
Portrait	Jan van Riebeeck (facing)
Face Value	50 (x Cent)
Circulation Mintage	26,000
Total Mintage	54,530
Current	No; withdrawn 1965
Material	0.500 Silver
Designer	Coert Laurens Steynberg, Willie Myburg
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	38.8000 mm
Thickness	3.0400 mm
Mass	28.2800 g
OCC ID	PMVR-EAPC-AZLM-ONQG

Search Similar Coins to Buy (Affiliate Ad)

Search for South Africa: Fifty Cents 1961 on eBay

Advertising

Buy Silver Bullion Online

Share or Bookmark this Page

Fifty Cents 1961: Photos

Image	Details
	Coin, South Africa, 50 Cents 1961 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source
	Coin, South Africa, 50 Cents 1961 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source

Fifty Cents 1961: Catalogue Reference IDs

Source	Reference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins	South Africa KM# 62
Hern's Handbook on South African Coins and Patterns	Hern# R26

Relevant Links

50 Cents (1st decimal series) - South Africa – Numista

Fifty Cents 1961, Coin from South Africa - detailed information