Owner Comments:
RARE!
2nd Finest Known PFUC! (1/4)
In Higher Grades: 1
Total Graded: 9
Mintage: Unrecorded but estimated to be +/- 15 only
These nickel coins were issued until 1990, after which time the denomination was made much smaller with the Third Decimal Series.
The 1979 issue commemorates the end of the presidency of Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs (1903 - 1978) who served as the third State President of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.
Obverse
Instead of the Coat of Arms of South Africa, the obverse of the 1979 coins displays a portrait of Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs, South Africa's third president, facing three-quarters left.
Below the neck truncation, the initials of the obverse designer: LDL (for Lourens De Lange).
Around left and around right, the bilingual legend reads SUID-AFRIKA in Afrikaans and SOUTH AFRICA in English.
Around below, the date of issue * 1979 *.
Reverse
The reverse shows a Springbok antelope, jumping to the right.
Below that, the value and denomination 1 RAND.
Above the Springbok and to the left, the motto SOLI DEO GLORIA (translated from Latin: Glory to God alone).
Below left, the artist's initials J. v. Z. (for Jan van Zyl).