| Coin | Silver Crown 2017 Heart Transplant |
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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, denominated as Two Rands (R 2) is part of the Crown and Tickey series of South African coins issued with different themes every year by the South African Mint to celebrate South Africa’s history and achievements.
The 2017 South African Inventions theme marks the 50th anniversary of the first successful human-to-human heart transplant, performed by a team of around 30 surgeons - led by Dr Christiaan Neethling Barnard - in the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town on 3 December 1967. |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse shows the Coat of Arms of South Africa at centre, dividing the date 2017, 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 reverse of the coin depicts an almost X-ray like image of a human torso with the realistic skeletal structure, circulatory system and internal organs visible. The area over the heart is highlighted with a slightly recessed circle, which is a place holder for the smaller "tickey" coin which, when placed onto the crown, gives the impression of a heart transplant.
Under the circle, the value and denomination R 2 (Two Rand), below which FIRST HEART TRANSPLANT. Above right, the date of the first successful human-to-human heart transplant, 1967 12.03 (3 December 1967).
Around below, the metal content and composition: 1oz Ag925 Cu75 (one ounce silver, 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper). |
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| Reverse Inscription |
R 2 FIRST HEART TRANSPLANT 1967 12.03 1oz Ag925 Cu75 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Coins were issued individually carded (issue price R 995) or in sets. |
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