The pure-gold Natura series, having ended the ‘Noctrurnal Hunters’ theme in 2016, honours the golden jubilee of the Krugerrand with original springbok designs created by South African sculptor Coert Steynberg (7 January 1905 – 28 July 1982) in 1946/47. Steynberg’s springbok designs were used for the final – and current – design we have come to associate with the springbok.
The reverses of the 2017 Natura coins bear conceptual drawings which were originally submitted for the 5 shilling coin from 1947, over five coins. The full springbok- South Africa’s national animal- is depicted in various states of motion, while a pair of springboks are depicted on the ½ oz coin.
The Natura, traditionally a series of four gold coins, for the first time in 2017 boasts a new size in the form of the 1/20 oz coin.
R100 (1oz, 24ct gold)
R50 (1/2 oz, 24ct gold)
R20 (1/4 oz, 24ct gold)
R10 (1/10 oz, 24ct gold)
R5 (1/20 oz, 24ct gold)
Common Obverse
The common obverse of the 2017 Natura coins bears a close-up depiction of this agile antelope’s head and body, without the legs.
Get yourself or a loved one any of these beautiful commemoration coins celebrating the beginnings of the Krugerrand, the gold coin regarded by many as the coin that started modern gold coin collecting.
Also look out for the special edition 2017 Natura Launch Coin and 2017 Natura Launch Set in our next newsletter.
2017 PROTEA – NELSON MANDELA’S FREEDOM STRUGGLE
The 2017 edition of the series focuses on Mr Mandela’s contribution to the African National Congress (ANC) and the resistance movement in South Africa, and on his life sentencing at the Rivonia Trial.
R25 (1oz, 24ct gold)
The R25 (1oz, 24ct gold) Protea coin quotes Prisoner No. 1 from his opening statement at the Rivonia Trial: “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” It also features the names of the 10 accused, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel ‘Rusty’ Bernstein (acquitted), Raymond Mhlaba, James Kantor (acquitted), Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni.
A portrait of Mr Mandela and the denomination complete the design.
R5 (1/10oz, 24ct gold)
The R5 (1/10oz, 24ct gold) coin features the quote “Evil ultimately lives in fear of and under threat from the uncompromising commitment to justice, fairness and human compassion.” (British Red Cross humanity lecture, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London, England, 10 July 2003) and the denomination ‘R5’.
Sterling-silver R1
The sterling-silver R1 represents the Freedom Charter, a historic document accepted at the Congress of the People in Kliptown on 26 June 1955. The design features the ten demands representing the people’s hopes and aspirations for a ‘new’ South Africa.
The group of people featured on the coin represents the approximately 3 000 delegates present at the Congress of the People. Nelson Mandela is shown among these individuals as he did not formally participate in the day’s events due to a banning order.
Common Obverse
Common Obverse
The denomination of ‘R1’ completes the reverse design.
The common obverse features Mr. Mandela wearing one of his iconic Madiba shirts, underlined by a wreath made from South Africa’s national flower, the King Protea, and the year 2017.
All coins shown above have not been scaled to size.
