South Africa 1999 ounce
This specimen was lot 1570 in Goldberg sale 128 (Los Angeles, June 2022), where it sold for $2,280. The catalog description[1] noted, "South Africa. 1 Natura, 1999. One Ounce. 'Greater Kudu', only 2,682 Proofs struck of this one year type. NGC graded Proof 69 Ultra Cameo." South Africa, after a turbulent history between English and Dutch settlers and the native population, was constituted the Union of South Africa in 1910. Coinage commenced in 1923. The krugerrand was introduced in 1967 as a one ounce gold bullion coin and was very popular around the world despite bearing the effigy of Paul Kruger, the chief exponent of apartheid. The white supremacist regime was ousted in 1989 but, amazingly enough, the krugerrand remains in production. As competition for it, the South African government also marketed the Natura series, featuring various animals native to the region. The greater kudu is depicted on this issue of 1999.
Recorded mintage: 2,682 proofs plus 247 countermarked "SS".
Specification: 31.1 g, 0.999 fine gold, 32.69 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-255.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Stephen Harvey and Vera Liu, Goldberg Sale 128: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.
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