| Coin | Silver Crown 2015 Griqua Town - Lower |
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South Africa pioneered modern bullion coinage when it first issued the Krugerrand on 3 July 1967 to help market South African gold; it is the first modern bullion coin and is still issued today.
Gradually, the South African Mint started diversifying the range, first by issuing fractional Krugerrands, then by introducing different designs and metals, such as a silver one-ounce (1 oz) format. These include silver 1 oz Krugerrands, the Protea series, the Natura series, as well as one-year types that do not fall into a particular series. Some are made of Sterling silver (92.5%) alloyed with copper, just like the British pre-decimal Crown coins, and some are 99.9% silver. The Sterling versions are overall heavier though, so they also contain exactly one ounce of pure silver or 1oz Absolute Silver Weight (1.000 oz ASW); they are called "Crowns" in the "Crown and Tickey" coin sets in which some of them are issued, and are officially denominated as two, five or ten Rands.
This coin was issued as part of the circulation and numismatics range to commemorate two hundred years of the Griqua Town coinage. The Griqua coin was originally created as currency for the people of Griqua Town in 1815, and is the first local currency of a South African people.
The coins of the range consist of a circulating commemorative R 5 piece, two silver crowns: one depicting the upper part of the Griqua coin and one depicting its lower part, and a quarter-ounce gold commemorative. |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse shows the Coat of Arms of South Africa at centre, dividing the date 2015, with the legend SOUTH AFRICA written around in all the eleven official languages of the country, the inscriptions in a pentagonal pattern with two rows on each side:
Ningizimu Afrika in Zulu,
Aforika Borwa in Tswana,
Afurika Tshipembe in Venda,
Afrika Borwa in Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho,
iSewula Afrika in Southern Ndebele,
South Africa in English,
uMzantsi Afrika in Xhosa,
iNingizimu Afrika in Swazi,
Afrika Dzonga in Tsonga, and
Suid-Afrika in Afrikaans.
The designer's initials ALS (for Arthur L. Sutherland) are to the left of the Coat of Arms. |
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| Reverse | |
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The two R2 sterling silver crown-size coins in the series are uniquely designed, featuring part (half) of the obverse design of original Griqua Town coin, each capturing part of the words GRIQUA TOWN, the Roman numeral I I I I I (five) and beading of the 1815 five pence coin. When the two coins are overlapped, one complete image of the original Griqua Town coin is formed. This coin has the lower half.
Below that, on two lines along the perimeter of the coin, the inscriptions 1815 · BICENTENNIAL · 2015 and COINAGE OF GRIQUA TOWN. To the right of that in smaller letters, the metal content and composition: 1 oz Ag925 Cu75 (one ounce silver, 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper).
Above the inscriptions, the face value and denomination R 2 (Two Rand).
In the left field, the die-sinker's initials PB (for Paul Botes); the reverse artist is RC Stone. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
COINAGE OF GRIQUA TOWN 1815 · BICENTENNIAL · 2015 R 2 1 oz Ag925 Cu75 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Included in Set |
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Griqua Town Prestige Set 2015, mintage unknown, limited to 200
5 coins: 1/4 oz Gold, Silver Crown - Upper Half, Silver Crown - Lower Half, R5 Proof, R5 Brilliant Uncirculated
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Griqua Town Silver Set 2015, mintage unknown, limited to 1,815
4 coins: Silver Crown - Upper Half, Silver Crown - Lower Half, R5 Proof, R5 Brilliant Uncirculated
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