South Africa 1964 50 cents
This specimen was lot 72243 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2021), where it sold for $80. The catalog description[1] noted, "SOUTH AFRICA. 50 Cents, 1964. Elizabeth II. PCGS MS-63. A handsome example of the type, boldly struck with gorgeous electric blue obverse toning and a mixture of peripheral hues on the reverse." Altho the auctioneers attributed this coin to queen Elizabeth II, the Union of South Africa left the Commonwealth in 1960, becoming the Republic of South Africa in the process. The queen's portrait has not appeared on South African coinage since. The bust shown here is of explorer Jan van Riebeeck.
Recorded mintage: 80,000 + 25,000 prooflike + 16,000 proofs.
Specification: 28.28 g, 0.500 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-62.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th 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.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The October 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
Link to: