We’ve previously covered the 50th anniversary celebration of the South African Krugerrand coin. The gold coin in this series debuted 50 years ago in 1967, and changed the face of gold bullion investing forever in the process. The singular popularity of this coin led to the incredibly diverse market we all know today, including the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, Chinese Gold Panda, and American Gold Eagle coins.
With such a monumental milestone achieved, there was only one fitting way to celebrate: one-time offerings that showcase the timeless design of the Krugerrand. Beyond the South African Silver Krugerrand bullion coin, a first-ever release of the coin in silver, the South African Mint has a number of other first-and-only-time releases set for the 50th anniversary. There are even a few new additions to the coveted Gold Krugerrand collection.
The Proof Silver Krugerrand
In addition to the bullion version, the South African Mint has also released a 2017 1 oz Proof South African Silver Krugerrand Coin. This is the first, and only, time the South African Mint plans to release the Krugerrand in silver, and that applies to the proof version of the coin. Unlike the silver bullion option, these proof coins ship in a beautiful, black display box that features an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Additionally, the proof coins feature a much lower mintage maximum set at just 15,000 coins.
Curiously enough, the silver coins do feature a denomination. While the value is not engraved on the coins, South African legislation (and the coin’s status as non-gold) mean that a denomination has been applied of R1 (1 Rand).
The Platinum Krugerrand
In another first-time, and one-time, striking of the Krugerrand in a different precious metal you’ll find the 2017 1 oz Proof South African Platinum Krugerrand. The decision to strike the Krugerrand’s 50th anniversary celebratory series with a platinum option was a natural choice given that South African is home to the largest singular reserve of this precious metal anywhere in the world.
The Proof Platinum Coins will have a celebratory mintage limited to 2,017 coins in total and have the same 50th anniversary privy mark featured on the silver coins. Like the silver coins, because these are non-gold coins, legislation in South Africa dictates a denomination be associate with these coins. The Proof Platinum Krugerrand has been assigned a face value of R10.
One-Time Proof Gold Strikings
The South African Mint isn’t stopping at different precious metals with its one-time strikings for the 50th anniversary. The Proof South African Gold Krugerrand collection this year will feature a 50 oz and 5 oz coin. Both coins are available only in 2017 and mark the first time either weight has been offered in the Krugerrand series. The 50 oz coin has an extremely limited mintage of only 50 coins, features the 50th anniversary privy mark, and arrives in specialized packaging.
For the 5 oz coin, this is also the first time this weight has ever been struck in the Krugerrand. While the 50 oz coin symbolizes one ounce for every year of availability, the 5 oz marks one ounce for each decade of issue on the Krugerrand. The 5 oz coins are limited in production to just 500 coins in total, feature the 50th anniversary privy mark, and come in specialized packaging as well.
Expansions to the Proof Gold Lineup
The Proof South African Gold Krugerrands routinely feature various weights, much like other major collector programs. The typical release of 1 oz, ½ oz, ¼ oz, and 1/10 oz coins will expand this year. For the first time, the South African Mint is releasing the Proof South African Gold Krugerrand in a 1/20 oz coin and a 1/50 oz coin. The plan as of now is for these two new weights to remain part of the program going forward.
Re-Issuing an Icon
Last, but certainly not least, the South African Mint has announced a truly special offering. The mint is using dies manufactured with the original tooling of the very first South African Krugerrand to re-issue a 1967 1 oz Gold Krugerrand. This truly special coin will have a limited mintage of just 1,967 coins and feature the 50th anniversary privy mark used on all other celebratory coins in the collection.
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