Coins of South Africa
For earlier related coins see Coins of the South African RepublicThe
Coins of South Africa prior to
1923 that were in use were mostly
British, but the coins of
Paul Kruger's
South African Republic remained in circulation. In 1923, South Africa began to issue its own coins. At that time South Africa's
currency system was the same as in Great Britain: 12
Pence (12d) = 1
Shilling (1s), and 20s = 1
Pound (£1). The term
Tickey is applied to both the 3d and 2½c coins. In
1961, South Africa changed over to decimal currency: 100 Cents (100c) = 1
Rand (R1), 1 rand being valued at 10 shillings.
Note: The plural of Rand is Rand, not Rands.The 2/- was struck under both the first and second coinages of King George V.
* ¼d. Reverse inscribed '¼ Penny ¼': 1923, 1924.
* ½d. Reverse inscribed '½ Penny ½': 1923–1926.
* 1d. Reverse inscribed '1 Penny 1': 1923, 1924.
* 3d. '3' in wreath: 1923–1925.
* 6d. '6' in wreath: 1923, 1924.
* 1/-. Reverse inscribed '1 Shilling 1': 1923, 1924.
* 2/-. Florin: 1923–1930.
* 2/6. Reverse inscribed '2½ Shillings 2½': 1923–1925.
* ½ Sovereign, British type, but with 'SA' mintmark added: 1923SA, 1925SA, 1926SA.
* 1 Sovereign, British type, but with 'SA' mintmark added: 1923SA, 1925SA, 1926SA, 1927SA, 1928SA, 1929SA, 1930SA, 1931SA, 1932SA.
South Africa was still a Dominion when decimal currency was introduced in February, 1961. As the coins bear the forward facing portrait of
Jan van Riebeeck, they are classified as belonging under the First Republic (1961–84).
The First Republic came into effect on 31 May, 1961 and withdrew from the
Commonwealth. The constitutional arrangement of the First Republic consisted of a non-executive State President (whose powers were the same as the
Governor-General of the Union of South Africa) and a
bicameral parliamentary system. The Senate was replaced by the State President's Council in 1980.
The Second Republic came into existence in late
1984 when the then State
President,
Marais Viljoen retired and the last
Prime Minister,
P.W. Botha became the first (and penultimate) executive State President. The constitutional arrangement consisted of the State President and a
tricameral parliamentary system. South Africa is the only Commonwealth of Nations country that has ever had a tricameral
legislature.
