Item number: A1684

Year: AD 1960

Material: Silver (.500)

Size: 38.7 x 38.7 x 2.9 mm

Weight: 28.15g

Manufactured by: South Africa Mint, Pretoria

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a five-shilling commemorative silver coin minted in AD 1960 by the Pretoria Mint and issued by the Union of South Africa to mark the 50th anniversary of its establishment.

The obverse features the façade of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, which remain the political centre of the Republic of South Africa. The dates “1910” and “1960” above and below the image denote the period from the foundation of the Union of South Africa to the year of the coin’s issuance. Encircling the design is the Afrikaans inscription “EENDRAG MAAK MAG” and its English equivalent “UNITY IS STRENGTH.” To the right of the garden in front of the Union Buildings, the initials “H.M.” are inscribed, signifying the signature of the artist Hilda Mason. Born in AD 1909 and passing in AD 1986, Mason was renowned for her work in illustration and printmaking. Her artistic contributions include delicate watercolour depictions of indigenous flora, and she collaborated with botanists in the 1970s to publish several scientific botanical atlases. Between AD 1951 and 1961, she was commissioned by the South African Mint to design coins and medals, including those for the Union of South Africa and the newly established Republic of South Africa, as well as the Korean War Medal.

The reverse displays the coat of arms of the Union of South Africa, with a shield designed in a petal-like shape. The shield is quartered, symbolising the four provinces that constituted the Union, formerly British colonies. The upper-left quadrant depicts a female figure standing beside an anchor, representing the Cape Province. This imagery is an artistic personification of “Hope,” potentially inspired by the interpretation of a passage from the New Testament’s Epistle to the Hebrews: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure; it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” The upper-right quadrant features two springboks in motion, symbolising Natal Province. The lower-left quadrant contains an orange tree, representing the Orange Free State. The lower-right quadrant depicts a covered ox-waggon, emblematic of the Great Trek undertaken by the Boer settlers into the South African interior following Britain’s annexation of the Dutch Cape Colony in AD 1806. Surrounding the shield are the inscriptions “SUID-AFRIKA · 1960 · SOUTH AFRICA,” with both Afrikaans and English conveying the same meaning. Below the shield, “5ṣ” denotes the coin’s face value of five shillings, while the initials “KG” above it signify the signature of the artist George Kruger Gray (AD 1880–1943). Kruger Gray was a distinguished designer of coins, renowned for his work on currency throughout Britain and its dominions. In addition to coinage, he also designed heraldic emblems, stained glass windows for churches, illustrations, posters, and cartoons.

The Union of South Africa was established in AD 1910 through the unification of the Cape Colony, Natal Colony, Orange River Colony, and Transvaal Colony under British rule, forming a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. The Union implemented policies of racial segregation, with political and economic power predominantly controlled by the white minority, while Black Africans, Coloureds, and Indians faced systemic discrimination and severe restrictions. In AD 1924, the National Party came to power and advanced more explicit segregation policies, reinforcing white supremacy in South Africa. During the Second World War, South Africa participated as a British ally, but in the post-war period, internal racial tensions intensified. The National Party secured victory in the 1948 elections and formally instituted the apartheid system, systematically depriving non-white populations of their civil rights, enforcing residential segregation, and restricting their political and economic participation. In AD 1958, Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd initiated efforts for South Africa to withdraw from the Commonwealth, leading to a referendum in AD 1960 in which white voters narrowly endorsed the establishment of a republic. However, widespread international condemnation of South Africa’s apartheid policies resulted in its formal withdrawal from the Commonwealth in AD 1961 and the proclamation of the Republic of South Africa. Following this transition, international sanctions against South Africa escalated, leading to mounting economic and political pressures. By the 1980s, domestic resistance and global opposition forced the government to undertake reforms. In AD 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, initiating negotiations with President F. W. de Klerk that ultimately led to the dismantling of the apartheid system. In AD 1994, South Africa held its first multiracial democratic elections, with Mandela elected as president, ushering the Republic of South Africa into a new era.

物件編號: A1684

年代: 公元 1960 年

材質: 銀 (500‰)

尺寸: 38.7 x 38.7 x 2.9 mm

重量: 28.15g

製造地: 普勒托利亞南非鑄幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚於公元1960年，由普勒托利亞鑄幣廠鑄造，南非聯邦發行的5先令紀念銀幣，紀念南非聯邦成立50週年。

銀幣的正面是普勒托利亞聯邦大廈的正面立面，聯邦大廈至今仍為南非共和國的政治中樞。上下方的「1910」、「1960」，為從南非聯邦的建立，直到該紀念幣的發行之年。周圍環繞著阿非利卡語「EENDRAG MAAK MAG UNITY IS STRENGTH」，即「團結就是力量」。聯邦大廈前花園的右側小字「H.M.」，為藝術家希爾達·梅森(Hilda Mason)的署名。希爾達·梅森(生卒年公元1909至1986年)以插畫與版畫聞名，她的作品以細緻的水彩記錄當地植物，並於公元1970年代與植物學家合作出版多本科學圖鑑。公元1951至1961年間，她也曾受聘於南非鑄幣廠，為南非聯邦以及新生的南非共和國設計硬幣與韓戰獎章。

銀幣的背面是南非聯邦的國徽，盾徽呈花瓣狀。盾徽分割為四個象限，分別代表組成南非聯邦的四個省(前殖民地)。左上部分為一位佇著船錨的女子，代表好望角省。該形象是藝術家對於「希望」擬人化身的描繪，可能來自新約希伯來書：「我們有這指望，如同靈魂的錨，又堅固又牢靠，且通入幔內。」段落的詮釋。右上部分兩隻奔跑的牛羚，代表了那塔爾省。左下部分的橘子樹，代表奧蘭治自由邦。右下部分的蓬車，代表川斯瓦省。蓬車代表了荷屬好望角被英國奪取後(公元1806年，原先的布爾人集體遷徙到南非腹地的歷史。周圍環繞阿非利卡語和英語「SUID-AFRIKA · 1960 · SOUTH AFRICA」，均為「南非」之意。下方「5ṣ」，即面額5先令。「5ṣ」上方小字「KG」，則為藝術家喬治·克魯格·格雷(George Kruger Gray，生卒年公元1880-1943年)的署名。克魯格·格雷以錢幣設計而聞名，長年為英國以及帝國的其他地區設計錢幣圖樣。同時他也設計紋章與徽章、為教堂設計彩繪玻璃、創作插畫、海報與漫畫。

南非聯邦(Union of South Africa)成立於公元1910年，由英國將好望角殖民地、納塔爾殖民地、奧蘭治河殖民地和德蘭士瓦殖民地合併而成，成為大英帝國內部的自治領。南非聯邦實行種族隔離政策，主要由白人統治，黑人、混血人種和印度人受到嚴格的政治與經濟限制。公元1924年南非國民黨(National Party)執政後，推動更明確的種族隔離措施，並加強南非白人至上主義，二戰期間，南非作為英國盟友參戰，但戰後國內種族衝突加劇，國民黨在1948年選舉勝出後正式推行種族隔離(Apartheid)制度，系統性地剝奪非白人公民權利，劃定黑人居住區，限制其政治權利與經濟活動。公元1958年，總理亨德里克·費爾沃德(Hendrik Verwoerd)推動南非脫離英聯邦，並於公元1960年舉行公投，雖然白人選民以微弱多數支持共和制，但英聯邦內部對南非種族隔離政策強烈不滿，導致南非於公元1961年正式脫離英聯邦，成立南非共和國(Republic of South Africa)。南非共和國成立後，國際社會對其種族隔離政策加強制裁，導致經濟與政治壓力不斷上升。公元1980年代，國內外的抵制運動與經濟困境迫使南非政府開始改革，公元1990年納爾遜·曼德拉(Nelson Mandela)獲釋，並與當時的總統F.W. 德克勒克(F.W. de Klerk)展開談判，最終導致公元1994年種族隔離制度正式結束，舉行南非首場不分種族的民主選舉，曼德拉當選總統，南非共和國進入新時代。