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The Top Rare South African Coins to Invest In


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For centuries, unique rare coins were collected by nobility, royalty and upper class citizens who were quick to realize their investment value, even at that time. Fortunately today, coin collecting is no longer only the ‘Hobby of Kings’ and it has become a pastime that millions of people worldwide pursue, enjoy and benefit from.

 

We’ve spoken before about the benefits of a rare coin investment, but just to recap one of the primary benefits, in South Africa, rare coins are classified as ‘collectibles’ and as such, don’t attract Capital Gains Tax when sold. Over the past few decades, investors seeking alternative investments have been privy to considerable annual ROI’s on particular rare South African coins.

 

If you have an understanding of numismatics and an interest in coin collecting, then you probably have an idea of what to look for when you start your investment coin portfolio. If you’re new to the industry though, and don’t have the time or means to research which rare coins would be best suited to your budget, then it can make getting started all that more difficult.

 

With that in mind, to help guide you in the right direction we look at five of the top South African rare coin investments you can make today.

 

1. 1902 Veldpond

This uniquely designed coin came into existence towards the end of the Anglo Boer War, when money was scarce. At the time,the Commandos purchased food from the Black Tribes, who would only accept gold coins as payment. This of course made any exchange difficult because there was simply no money around.

 

It was suggested that the Boers help ease the situation by manufacturing their own coins, out in the field (hence the coin’s name). Basic machinerywas bought from nearby mines, though the process for manufacturing the die and getting the correct gold ratio for the gold sheets was a tedious and frustrating one. Eventually however, 986 1902 Veldpond were minted with handmade dies and put into circulation. Their relatively low mintage and historical significance makes them one of the most highly sought after rare South African gold coins.

The 1902 Veldpondhas an annual average ROI of 28%.

 

2. 1898 Sammy Marks Tickey

Sammy Marks was a Lithuanian immigrant turned industrialist and financier, who gained the confidence of President Kruger and the South African government in 1881. His defining moment came when Kruger ran out of money when building the railway line from Pretoria to Lourenco Marques. Marks subsequently funded the remainder of the project through a number of massive loans which totalled nearly £3 million.

 

In gratitude, Marks was offered free use of the mint for a day in 1898 and he took the opportunity to strike 215 gold memento tickey’s. Although they were not considered legal tender and were not circulated, they are still exceptionally rare coins, with an interesting history.

The 1898 Sammy Marks Tickey has an average annual ROI of 31%.

 

3. 1874 Coarse Beard

Thomas Francois Burgers was the 4th President of the South African Republic from 1871 till 1877, a liberal and strongly reformist minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. His vain attempt to have his portrait and the ZAR coat of arms minted on the gold Staatsponden was met with a massive outcry from members of the Volksrad, who were deeply religious and viewed the attempt as foolish pride.

 

The coin got its name after a small batch was minted by a second die after the first one broke. This second batch numbered just 142 anddepicts Burger with a distinctive ‘coarse’ beard when compared to the Fine Beard specimens.

The 1874 Course Beard has an average annual ROI of 36%.

 

4. 1874 Fine Beard

Although not as rare as the Coarse Beard, the 1874 Fine Beard has a relatively low mintage of only 695 and remains one of the top rare South African coins. When compared to the Course Beard, you can clearly see the difference between the beards.

The 1874 Fine Beard has an average annual ROI of 28%.

 

5. 99 Overstamp

In 1899 the South African Mint Master was instructed to over-stamp 130 1898 Kruger Pound coins in celebration of the reopening of the Pretoria Mint. When the first coin was struck (whichsubsequently became the world-renowned ‘Single 9’) it was immediately noticed that the “9” on the punch was too large and a smaller punch was used to over-stamp the remaining coins. The second striking of these coins became known as the Double 99 Overstamp.

Today, this exceptionally rare 99 Overstamphas an average annual ROI of 38%.

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