South Africa 1897 shilling
This specimen was lot 72464 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2022), where it sold for $192. The catalog description[1] noted, "SOUTH AFRICA. Shilling, 1897. Pretoria Mint. PCGS MS-63. Exceedingly attractive, this Choice Shilling displays a rich and resplendent luster that cartwheels light effortlessly. The obverse is graced with delicate violet toning, tying this minor into a complete package of attractivity." South Africa, after a turbulent history between English and Dutch settlers and the native population, was constituted the Union of South Africa in 1910. This coin was issued 1892-97 by the Afrikaner republic before its conquest by the British. With the collapse of apartheid, collecting South African coins is now respectable again.
Recorded mintage: 397,000, the most common date.
Specification: 5.65 g, 0.925 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 5.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The June 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins - Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Hern, Brian, John Bothma and Hercie Pieterse, Hern's Handbook on South African Coins & Patterns, Ferndale, South Africa, 2013.
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