This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
The British established the colony of Sierra Leone in 1787 for formerly enslaved people. This token was issued by the Sierra Leone Company, which was a private company that governed the colony in its early years.
Obverse Image: Circling dragon in a pearled border with Kanji surrounding.
Obverse Text: Romanization: MEIJI / GO / NEN / DAI / NIHON / GO / EN (Translation: Meiji year 5, Great Japan, 5 yen).
Reverse Image: A sunburst surrounded by a wreath and superimposed over the Yata no Kagami sacred mirror, a part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan; two crossing poles, which each hold up a Japanese war banner extending to the left and right sides of the reverse; above is the Imperial Seal of Japan, a stylized chrysanthemum flower; beneath is the Government Seal of Japan, paulownia flower.
The South African War (also known as the Second Boer War) between the British and the ancestors of European immigrants (Boers) living in the South African Republic, took place from 1899 to 1902. Toward the end of the war, the remaining fighters for the South African Republic fled into the countryside to a place called Pilgrim’s Rest. They melted down gold bars and gold nuggets and minted their own coins to assert their independence from the British. The fighters used old farm machinery and accessible chemicals to melt the gold down and make it pliable enough to shape into coins. Their hand-chiseled dies produced 968 coins, which are often referred to as “veldpond” because they were made in the South African veld (the Afrikaans word for field) and their denomination is one pond.
Reverse Image: Modified coat of arms of the South African Republic.
Reverse Text: 1 PENNY / 1892
Description
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
South Africa is famous for its gold deposits. Before the unearthing of the major gold reefs in Witwatersrand starting in 1884, Boer settlers found small quantities of gold in the Transvaal area. In the 1870s, the president of the South African Republic (Transvaal), Thomas Burgers, sent some gold nuggets to England to have a small number of coins minted for the South African Republic. These gold coins feature Burgers’s portrait and are often referred to as “Staatsponden,” “Burgersponds,” or “Burgers sovereigns.” Burgers was widely criticized by members of his community for placing his own image on the coins, which was seen by some as vain and dictatorial. The coins were not widely used.
Reverse Image: Coat of arms of the South African Republic.
Reverse Text: 5 SHILLINGS / 1892 / EENDRAGT MAAKT MAGT
Description
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
Reverse Image: Coat of arms of the South African Republic.
Reverse Text: 1/2 POND / 1896 / EENDRAGT MAAKT MAGT
Description
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
Reverse Image: Coat of arms of the South African Republic.
Reverse Text: 1 POND / 1898 / EENDRAGT MAAKT MAGT
Description
This coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the president of the South African Republic (also known as the ZAR or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Kruger descended from a group of European (primarily Dutch) immigrants known as Boers (Afrikaners), who colonized the Cape of Good Hope and surrounding areas beginning in the 1600s. To escape British rule, they moved eastward into South Africa to establish a self-governing South African Republic. Kruger rose to global prominence for his leadership in resisting British intrusion into the Transvaal and, ultimately, fighting the British in the South African War (1899–1902). Shortly after the British won the war, the South African Republic was renamed the Transvaal Province and was joined with other British colonies in the region under the Union of South Africa. This coin was produced during Kruger’s presidency, shortly before the war.
Minted in Russia in 1836, this family one and one-half ruble was issued during the reign of Nicholas I. Married to Charlotte (Alexandra Fedorovna) of Prussia, Nicholas I ruled from 1825 to his death on March 2, 1855. He led the Russian army unsuccessfully in the Crimean War, but helped defeat the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War (1828-29). Under his rule, the Russian Empire spanned over 7.7 million square miles.
Obverse Image: Right facing portrait of Kalākaua, the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
Obverse Text: KALAKAUA I KING OF HAWAII / 1883
Reverse Image: The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Reverse Text: UA MAU KE EA O KA AINA I KA PONO / 1 D / AKAHI DALA
Description
Hawaii produced this silver dollar coin featuring the profile of King Kalakaua of the Hawaiian Islands (1836 – 1891) in 1883. Kalakaua silver coinage was based on designs by California sugar baron, Claus Spreckels, and Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, Charles Barber. Spreckels financed the production of the coins at the U.S. Mint in San Francisco, California. Because gold currency was the preferred medium of exchange for settling debts in both the U.S. and Hawaii, some members of the business community refused to accept the silver Kalakaua coinage. Much of the higher value Kalakaua coinage was melted down when Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1898.
