2016-05-12 Thu

The latest South African coins celebrate the Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, the fastest animal on earth cheetah and a unique anti-erosion structure called a dolos.

The country has for the first time celebrated the royal birthday on coinage. Only 260 of these gold Krugerrand coins will available in the United Kingdom from the London Mint Office at an issue price of £297. The Kruggerand was first released in 1967 as a one-ounce coin and since then they became very popular across the world. The reverse features the Krugerrand’s prancing springbok, the national animal which was originally portrayed on a 1947 five-shilling coin.

Though final designs for the other two coins are not yet out, officials have stated that the cheetah will be featured on the coin to be released under the National Geographic Coin Series, A Sterling-silver crown and tickey coin series featuring dolosse has also been approved by the government. Dolosse are multi-faced 20 tons concrete blocks, invented in 1963 by either Eric Mowbray Merrifield or Aubrey Kruger and are used to shore up harbour walls against erosion. The details of these two coins will be unveiled in the Government Gazette and sold through standard distribution channels.