Five Rand Trial 1989, Coin from South Africa - detailed information

The South African Mint released this Five Rand (R5) trial piece in 1989, prior to the release of the Third Decimal Series of South African coins. It was part of a series of similar pieces (one cent to R5 - all the coin denominations at the time, plus the yet to be introduced R2 and R5) made to familiarise the manufacturers of coin-operated machines and other coin-related devices with the new coins, and so that the general public could gain familiarity with the new coin weights and sizes before the final designs were revealed. After the designs were revealed, the nine pieces were distributed in a mint set with the future designs printed on the cardboard cover. However, the pieces themselves intentionally do not resemble the final designs.

For that reason, even though the mint calls them "patterns" on the cover of the set, they are not actually patterns as they do not represent designs considered for production. The explanatory text also says that "These pattern pieces represent the diameter, colour and edge serrations only", i.e. the metal does not necessarily match the respective circulation coins as released later.

All pieces have the same obverse, and just one letter on the reverse - from A through J (no "I"). This one represents the nickel-clad Five Rand denomination introduced in 1994, and has the corresponding silver-white colour. The R5 was only issued in this format until 2003, after which it changed to a bimetallic coin.