Coins, Tokens and Banknotes of Southern Africa

South Africa, Republic (1961- ), Pattern or Trial set, 1963, by W. Myburg and G.K. Gray, comprising 50, 20, 10 and 5 Cents in nickel, 2 Cents and Cent in bronze, all edges plain, 10.54g/12h, 6.09g/12h, 3.96g/12h, 2.55g/12h, 3.02g/12h, 1.98g/12h (Hern A19-22, 24-5; KM. –) [6]. About as struck but 10 and 5 Cents with rim marks, very rare; sold with a letter from the Advisory Board on Coinage, dated 30th March 1966 £2,000-2,500

At a time when many countries were trying to reduce the size and weight of their coinages, this set was made by overstriking a higher value on to existing coin designs - so the 20 Cents became 50, the 10 Cents became 20 and so on. The first three coins are from altered 1963 dies, the last three from 1962 dies. Hern estimates that around 50 of these sets were made