Two Cents 1988, Coin from South Africa

Two Cents 1988, Coin from South Africa (withdrawn 1990)

Coin	Two Cents 1988

The South African Two Cents coin (abbreviated as 2c) was a small circulating coin of the Rand currency. Unlike the other denominations, it was not created at decimalisation on 14 February 1961 - there was a 2½ (two and a half cents) coin instead. This was short-lived though and was discontinued only four years later.

When South Africa introduced its Second Decimal Coinage in 1965, there was a Two Cents denomination in it. This first type of Two Cents was made of bronze and was issued until 1990. The first kind of bronze coins had a portrait of Jan van Riebeeck on the obverse and a legend in one language only; each year, two versions of the coin were issued - one in English and one in Afrikaans; this was also the case with the commemorative issue in 1968. In 1970, the obverse was changed to the Coat of Arms of South Africa with a bilingual legend.

The denomination was changed to a smaller copper-plated steel version issued until 2001, after which time it was discontinued.

2c coins issued in 1988 circulated for only two years until they were replaced with the smaller version.

Mint	South African Mint	Mint Mark	No mint mark	Total Mintage	182,043,250 (182.0 million)

Obverse

The obverse of the coin displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa at its centre, as granted to the Union of South Africa by King George V and later amended by the British College of Arms. It contains representation of the four provinces within the Union.

The Coat of Arms features a shield quartered, each quarter a symbol of one of the four provinces of South Africa. An ox wagon represents Transvaal Province, a woman with an anchor represents Cape Province, two wildebeests represent Natal Province and an orange tree represents the Orange Free State Province. The crest of the arms features a lion holding four bound sticks. The supporters are a springbok and a gemsbok. Below the arms, the Latin motto, EX UNITATE VIRES (translated at first as "Union Is Strength", but from 1961 translated as "Unity Is Strength").

Around left, the name of the country in English: SOUTH AFRICA; around right, the name in Afrikaans: SUID-AFRIKA.

Below, the date of issue: * 1988 *.

Below the Coat of Arms on the left side, in small letters the initials of the designer ALS (for Arthur Sutherland).

Obverse Inscription	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1988 *

Reverse

The reverse of the coin shows a bucking Wildebeest at its centre. Below the ground on the right, in small letters the initials of the designer J.v.Z. (for Jan van Zyl).

Below, the abbreviated value and denomination 2c (two cents).

Reverse Inscription	2c

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Two Cents 1988: Known varieties

Variety	Proof
Mintage	Issued: 7,250 (included in total)

All (44) coins of type: Two Cents

Coin Name	Mintage	Symbol	Legend
Two Cents 1965 (English)	29,887,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1965
Two Cents 1965 (Afrikaans)	29,912,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1965
Two Cents 1966 (English)	9,292,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1966
Two Cents 1966 (Afrikaans)	9,267,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1966
Two Cents 1967 (English)	11,887,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1967
Two Cents 1967 (Afrikaans)	11,862,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1967
Two Cents 1968 Swart (English)	5,500,000		SOUTH AFRICA 1968
Two Cents 1968 Swart (Afrikaans)	5,550,000		SUID-AFRIKA 1968
Two Cents 1969 (English)	5,829,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SOUTH AFRICA 1969
Two Cents 1969 (Afrikaans)	5,817,000	Jan van Riebeeck (right)	SUID-AFRIKA 1969
Two Cents 1970	35,227,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1970 *
Two Cents 1971	24,105,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1971 *
Two Cents 1972	7,314,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1972 *
Two Cents 1973	18,696,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1973 *
Two Cents 1974	25,316,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1974 *
Two Cents 1975	25,000,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1975 *
Two Cents 1976 Fouché	51,495,000		SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA * 1976 *
Two Cents 1977	45,135,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1977 *
Two Cents 1978	50,544,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1978 *
Two Cents 1979 Diederichs	40,058,000		SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA * 1979 *
Two Cents 1980	37,810,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1980 *
Two Cents 1981	79,360,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1981 *
Two Cents 1982 Vorster	53,974,000		SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA * 1982 *
Two Cents 1983	112,589,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1983 *
Two Cents 1984	101,508,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1984 *
Two Cents 1985	102,717,859	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1985 *
Two Cents 1986	683,301,100	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1986 *
Two Cents 1987	104,987,781	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1987 *
Two Cents 1988	182,043,250	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1988 *
Two Cents 1989	213,638,721	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1989 *
Two Cents 1990 (Bronze)	215,192,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SOUTH AFRICA * SUID-AFRIKA * 1990 *
Two Cents 1990 (Steel)	44,938	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1990
Two Cents 1991	133,026,800	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1991
Two Cents 1992	215,025,350	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1992
Two Cents 1993	160,018,692	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1993
Two Cents 1994	108,012,590	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1994
Two Cents 1995	198,014,293	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	SUID-AFRIKA * SOUTH AFRICA 1995
Two Cents 1996	305,016,503	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 1996
Two Cents 1997	158,011,111	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 1997
Two Cents 1998	282,007,538	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 1998
Two Cents 1999	166,009,299	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 1999
Two Cents 2000 (Old CoA)	263,011,470	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 2000
Two Cents 2000 (New CoA)	263,000,000	Coat of Arms of South Africa	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 2000
Two Cents 2001	276,003,678	Coat of Arms of South Africa	AFURIKA-TSHIPEMBE 2001

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Two Cents 1988: Details

Country	South Africa
Currency	Rand
Coin Type	Two Cents, Bronze
Issued	1988
Symbol	Coat of Arms of South Africa, 1910
Face Value	2 (x Cent)
Circulation Mintage	182,036,000 (182.0 million)
Total Mintage	182,043,250 (182.0 million)
Current	No; withdrawn 1990
Material	Bronze
Designer	Jan van Zyl, Arthur Sutherland
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	22.4500 mm
Thickness	1.7100 mm
Mass	4.0000 g
OCC ID	PMVR-OAPC-NBJQ-ENQG

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Two Cents 1988: Photos

Image	Details
	Coin, South Africa, 2 Cents 1988 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source
	Coin, South Africa, 2 Cents 1988 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source

Two Cents 1988: Catalogue Reference IDs

Source	Reference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins	South Africa KM# 83
Hern's Handbook on South African Coins and Patterns	Hern# D780
Schön, Weltmünzkatalog	Schön# 122

Relevant Links

2 Cents (SOUTH AFRICA - SUID AFRIKA) - South Africa – Numista

Two Cents 1988, Coin from South Africa - detailed information