The Silver Dollars of '60
South Africa 5 Shillings, 1960

Owner Comments:

Another silver dollar sized coin from 1960 is the 5 shillings of South Africa -- at 38.6 mm, 28.28 g and 50% silver, it certainly qualifies as silver and dollar sized. The 5 shilling coin was minted from 1947 to 1960, originally 80% silver then 50% starting in 1951.

The 1960 issue features a special commemorative design marking the end of the Union of South Africa. The obverse shows the Union of South Africa arms; the figure of Hope representing the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, Wildebeests for the Colony of Natal, the orange tree for the Orange Free State Republic and the wagon for the Transvaal; George Edward Kruger Gray design. The reverse shows the Union Buildings, seat of government in Pretoria with gardens in foreground; Hilda Mason design. In 1961 the country became the Republic of South Africa and adopted a decimalized currency based on the Rand.

Slabbed purchase from a Heritage Weekly World and Ancient Coin auction in April of 2015.