Owner Comments:
WOW - Stand-alone Finest Known! (1/1)
Total Graded: 87
Mintage: 505,954
This circulating commemorative One Rand silver coin was issued in 1969 to commemorate the death of Dr Eben Dönges the previous year.
Theophilus Ebenhaezer ('Eben') Dönges (1898 - 1968) was a South African politician who was elected State President of South Africa, but died before he could take office, aged 69. He was to succeed C.R. Swart on his retirement on 1 June 1967, but suffered a stroke and fell into a coma before he could take office. He died on 10 January 1968 without regaining consciousness. His deputy Tom Naudé acted for him until 6 December 1967 when he officially replaced Dönges.
Obverse
The obverse depicts the bust of Dr Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges facing right.
Below the shoulder truncation, the initials of the designer: T.S. (for Tommy Sasseen).
Around right, the legend SUID-AFRIKA in Afrikaans and the date of issue 1969.
Reverse
The reverse 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").
Below that on the right side, the initials of the designer: T.S. (for Tommy Sasseen).
The numeral value and the denomination, 1 R (One Rand) are separated by the Coat of Arms.