South Africa

CNG 100, Lot: 970. Estimate $2000. Sold for $5500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SOUTH AFRICA, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (South African Republic). 1881-1902. AV Half Pond (19.5mm, 4.06 g, 12h). Berlin mint. Dated 1892. Bust of Paul Kruger left / Coat-of-arms (with continental-style wagon) over four crossed banners; above, eagle standing facing, head right, wings spread; ribbon below. KM 9.1; Friedberg 3. Superb EF.

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex Money Company Hong Kong (12 May 1990), lot 2192.

Dr. Adams writes: “In 1891, the Volksraad of the ZAR passed legislation authorizing a coinage system which would bear the likeness of President Kruger. The general election was to be held in 1893 and President Kruger was anxious to have these coins in circulation prior to the election. As the new mint in Pretoria was still being built and he did not want to wait until it was operative, he contracted for the first coins of the series to be minted at the Kaisermint in Berlin. This act nearly cost him the election and became a source of ridicule by his opponent. Instead of the traditional Voortrekker wagon (with a single shaft and rear wheels larger than the front wheels), the pond, half pond, and silver crown bore a continental wagon with two shafts and front and rear wheels of the same diameter on the ZAR coat-of-arms. This insult to the Dutch was further compounded when the coin designer, Otto Schultz, put his initials OS on the bust of Kruger. Although this merely followed an established custom, it proved embarrassing to Kruger since OS is also the Dutch word for ox.

As many as possible of the OS/double shaft coins were removed from circulation and melted down, and new ponds and crowns with a single shaft and no initials were issued later in 1892. Kruger, however, did win the election by a narrow majority.”