| Coin | Silver Crown 2019 Polymer Putty |
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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 2019 South African Inventions theme features the history, invention and development of polymer putty as well as its journey to the moon. Invented by South African George Montague (Monty) Pratley, the world famous Pratley Putty was developed in the 1960’s as an insulator and an adhesive agent for fixing brass terminals which were located inside cast iron cable junction boxes.
This putty was used on the Ranger spacecraft produced and flown to study the moon. This American spacecraft was the first to land on the moon and thus helped lay the groundwork for the successful moon landing and safe return of a human during the NASA Apollo XI mission.
The South African Mint celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing with the South African inventions series, focusing on the only South African product to ever go to the moon, Pratley Putty.
the reverse design of the coin is by artists CVB Jeppe and RC Stone; the engraver is Paul Botes |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse shows the Coat of Arms of South Africa at centre, dividing the date 2019, 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 the earth as seen from a vantage point above the moon. The earth is shown from an angle that clearly displays the continent of Africa, with South Africa prominently in the foreground.
The Apollo 11 module, as well as lunar lander, also appears with the dates 1964 and 1965 (the years of the Ranger missions), 1969 (the year of the first moon landing) and 2019 (the year in which the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing was commemorated) on the reverse.
The circle on the crown is a place holder for the smaller "tickey" coin which, when placed onto the crown, gives the impression of a lunar landing.
Under the circle, the value and denomination R 2 (Two Rand), below which POLYMER PUTTY.
Around below left, the metal content and composition: 1oz Ag925 Cu75 (one ounce silver, 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper), followed in fainter letters by the initials of the die-sinker, PB (for Paul Botes). |
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| Reverse Inscription |
R 2 POLYMER PUTTY 1964 1965 1969 2019 1oz Ag925 Cu75 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | 456 individually carded coins (from limit of 1,000; issue price: R 995), plus coins in sets. |
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| See also |
Coins marking the 50th Anniversary of the first Moon Landing and the Apollo missions:
- Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Gold, Moon Landing, 2019
- Australia (Royal Australian Mint), 1 oz Gold, Moon Landing, 2019
- Niue, 1 oz Gold Coloured, Earth - Blue Marble, 2022
- Australia (Perth Mint), 5 oz Silver, Moon Landing, 2019
- Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver, Moon Landing, 2019
- Australia (Royal Australian Mint), 1 oz Silver, Moon Landing, 2019
- Niue, 1 oz Silver Coloured, Earth - Blue Marble, 2022
- Australia (Royal Australian Mint), $1 Aluminium Bronze, Moon Landing, 2019
- Australia (Royal Australian Mint), 5 Cents Copper-Nickel, Moon Landing, 2019
- Barbados, 0.5 g Gold, Moon Landing 2019
- Barbados, 1 oz Silver, Moon Landing 2019
- New Zealand, 1 oz Silver, Space Pioneers, 2019
- South Africa, 2 Rand (Crown) Silver, Polymer Putty, 2019
- South Africa, 2 1/2 Cents Silver, 2019
- Switzerland, 20 Francs Silver, Moon Landing, 2019
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