SOUTH AFRICA UNION SERIES DESIGN CHANGES - BAKEWELL COLLECTION

Owner Comments:

In 1937 King George VI was crowned and therefore his effigy had to be placed on the obverse of all empire coinage. Interestingly he faces the same direction as King George V which would seem incorrect since every change in monarch was supposed to include a change in the direction in which such monarch faces on empire coinage. It is not incorrect because Edward VIII was crowned before George VI and his effigy would have faced right and opposite to George V but due to his very short reign & subsequent abdication no coins were struck with his effigy for South African coinage. This meant that in order to keep with the correct tradition George VI would have to then face left which is the same as George V. The obverse design shows the uncrowned head of King George the VI. Inscription reads GEORGIVS VI REX IMPERATOR. The obverse design was used up to & including 1947. The reverse design shows a garnished uncrowned shield quartered with the symbols for the four provinces of the union namely the figure of HOPE for the CAPE, 2 running wildebeeste facing left for NATAL, an orange tree for the ORANGE FREE STATE & an ox wagon for the TRANSVAAL - THE ARMS OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA. The date is split on either side of the shield. The inscription reads * SOUTH - AFRICA * SUID - AFRIKA * 2 SHILLINGS. Reverse design was utilised up to & including 1950.